A tale of two sisters
by annasan1100
Summary: Her first name meant one thousand of springs, and Chiharu Higurashi liked the spring. She was born on the 15th of March 1982, three hours after her older sister. They looked almost identical, yet no one ever mistook Chiharu for Kagome. When Kagome was pulled into the well by Mistress Centipede, Chiharu jumps after her. It wasn't her wisest decision. The cover does not belong to me.
1. Prologue

**A/N: A story I wrote when I was a lot younger (in Dutch) and which I recently found again. After some adjustments, I wanted to share with you guys. This is an OC story, obviously, yet, I hope you all give it a chance!** **Inuyasha was the first anime I fell in love with (I read the manga as well) and considering I had a lot of imagination I created an OC (My first OC** _ **ever**_ **): Chiharu. Updates will be sporadical, as I have to translate the original story in English (rewrite small parts that could be better), therefore I'll keep it at once a month.**

 **Important: this is a prologue. The prologue might not make much sense because it was designed that way (but you won't have to wait twenty chapters for it to make sense either). Please give it a chance and enjoy! And if you'd have the time; p** **lease comment! I love them, and I'd love your take on all of this.**

 **Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi.**

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o.O.o

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Prologue

 _'It's so hard to forget the pain, but it's even harder to remember sweetness. We have no scars to show for happiness. We learn so little from peace' — Chuck Palahniuk, Diary_

 **T** he moon stood high on the zenith; pale light filtering in through the thick canopy of leaves, scattering down on the forest floor. Chiharu Higurashi ran her fingers through her dark hair, before nervously fiddling with the long sleeve of her garb as she followed the heavy aura from deep within the woods. Dark shapes took form in the far distance and Chiharu squinted her eyes, which were slowly adjusting to the grey-green darkness. Her sister and her odd friend were there, swaying as if some sort of spell was corrupting them and a woman with long sleek hair was running her fingers through Inuyasha's hair.

Chiharu's sister, Kagome had fallen on her side and a large bulky Yōkai, with the built and height of a flat stretched out above the trees, looking down upon her with an expressionless face. For everyone, Kagome Higurashi seemed to be asleep, but at least she was unharmed and Chiharu stood rooted to the spot, peering through the dappled gaps in the evergreen leaf cover of a bush. Almost all light had disappeared in an instant, and a strange silence pressed down onto them. Chiharu touched her hand to one ear, in case it was blocked by something physical.

It wasn't...

Shaking her head, she carefully crossed the clearing, trying to remain in the shadows of the trees. With fear to give her speed, she ran along the narrow trail settled beside a tree. The tall yōkai that had towered above them mere minutes ago had disappeared and the odd pressure made her movements slow and sluggish. Chiharu stopped in sight of her older sister and carefully inched to her fallen form, but before she'd reached her, her eyes widened. The beautiful woman, who had cradled Inuyasha's sleeping form to her chest before had turned monstrous, without a face and her chest had opened as a black hole, trying to absorb the comatose Hanyō.

The thought that a faceless being could do that, even without much of an aura, filled her with a clamming sort of fear and Chiharu fought to ready an arrow on her bow. Squeezing one eye shut, she aimed at the lady's head, letting the arrow fly. It fizzled, cutting through the air, before lodging deeply into the shoulder of the female Yōkai. Inuyasha fell to the forest floor with a groan and as the yōkai slowly started to crumble, the silence pressing down onto her lifted. Stiffly, Chiharu crept up from her hiding-place and tip-toed towards her sister.

"What was that?" Chiharu whispered urgently, quickly pulling her sister up into a sitting position. "Are you okay?"

"Chiharu-san." Myoga the flea whispered and she glanced down at Kagome's leg where he was sitting. "That's a Mu-onna."

"Ah what?" Kagome asked heaving slightly. Her cheeks were dusted a deep red and her eyes wide with horrified fear. "I-, Chiharu-chan?"

"You're okay," Chiharu answered unhelpfully and Kagome stared at Inuyasha's unmoving form with a deep frown.

Chiharu moved back slightly when Kagome crawling onto hands and knees towards the fallen Hanyō ("Inuyasha?"), and Myōga the flea hopped onto her knee. The constant motions of the tree-tops and the returning of the brilliance of the moon painted clouds in the dark sky calmed her a little.

"So, what was that again?" Chiharu asked again, ignoring her sister as she fussed over the white-haired Hanyō. Inuyasha was seated up again and didn't seem to appreciate people ruffling his feathers.

"A Mu-onna. They're cursed spirits, created specifically when a mother, ningen or yōkai, die in the process of failing her child. Either in sickness or when violated, but ultimately leading to its death."

"Okay?"

"When a mother dies, under those circumstances, her soul gets stuck with an obsessive desire to save her lost child and is drawn to children suffering from dire predicaments. However, the Mu-onna cannot help those children and will only drive them further into suffering, ultimately killing them…" the flea explained, before gasping and jumping away. Chiharu thought he was not very helpful, but a second later someone grasped at the collar of her haori, hoisting her up to her feet. Her hands automatically flew to where the hand was fisted into her clothes and tried to dislodge it while frantically glancing around.

She recognised him immediately. He was the same Yōkai she had seen only a few hours ago. His Youki was far more suffocating than she had originally thought and she glanced up at him, with wide eyes. Why he wasn't restraining his youki to keep others from being alerted to his presence?

Finally, Sesshōmaru's eyes rested on the miko. His eyes widened only a fraction in recognition; "You…"

"Let her go, you Bastard!" Inuyasha snapped glancing at the remains of the woman Chiharu had shot and then at the tall man.

"She belongs to you, should have known…"

"I don't belong to him," Chiharu muttered carefully loosening her obi. She could fully loosen it and then jump out of her outer haori, effectively freeing herself if he tried to hurt her.

His smile was feral. "Aren't you?"

Inuyasha snarled, pushing Kagome away from him and charged at them, but Sesshōmaru just dodged the angry Hanyō and took to the air. Chiharu gasped, tightening her obi immediately as the ground disappeared from under her. Both of her hands renewed their grip on his wrist and tightened when the ground moved further and further away from under her. She yelped when he shook her unnecessarily.

"Inuyasha, my sister!"

"I know wench," Inuyasha snarled back and charged again.

Her sandal fell off of Chiharu's feet when the older man dodged his opponent again and with a flick of his wrist, Inuyasha tumbled to the forest-floor, sending a plume of dry mud skywards. Dark blood oozed from his right eye and Chiharu gasped, watching with growing horror as Inuyasha pressed the palm of his hand against his eye. She tried to crane her neck, internally debating if hitting him with her bow would distract him enough to get away, but her feet were still dangling above the forest-floor. The hand that held his wrist in a death-grip tightened even more. They were too high for her to catch herself without breaking something. Too high up for her to fall to the ground and remain unhurt. It was a very bad plan.

Chiharu watched Kagome crouch down next to Inuyasha and almost whimpered when she felt Sesshōmaru's talons graze the delicate skin of her back. Ignoring the shiver that ran down her spine, she dared a glance at him. He was observing a tiny black orb between the index finger and the thump of his left hand. Blood coated those same fingers and Chiharu felt the nausea roll through her in waves. "Chich-ue certainly hid the tomb in a strange place," he whispered as Inuyasha moaned, pressing his hand against the heavily bleeding eye.

"You bastard!" Inuyasha snapped, unsteadily getting to his feet.

"Uh uh," Sesshōmaru whispered pressing sharp claws into the delicate skin of Chiharu's neck. "Your female won't like what I'll do, if you waste my time any further."

"Inuyasha!" Kagome wailed and Chiharu tried to finally control her jagged nerves, craning her neck away from the sting his claws gave when they dug into her flesh. She felt her feet touch the ground again and she released a small puff of breath.

"Keh," Inuyasha snarled. "She isn't my female, I do not care if you would hurt her."

"Don't you?" the Yōkai whispered, sniffing at Chiharu as if he smelled something bad. "Than tell me, little brother, why is your stench all over her?"

'Little brother?'

"Sesshōmaru-sama!" a vaguely familiar voice called, and Chiharu noticed the small imp-Yōkai appear out of the tall grass. "I have retrieved the Nintoujou," he continued, showing off a tall staff with two heads to his master.

The pressure of his claws slowly fell away and Sesshōmaru glanced at his servant. His expression almost bored and the small imp shivered. "Lose it again and I'll kill you." His master whispered, before yanking the staff out of Jaken's claw and smashed, what appeared to be a pearl under it.

The face of the old man cackled. It didn't mean anything to Chiharu, she was already glad she was still in one piece, but the imp-Yōkai looked absolutely joyous. A darkish light appeared, which not even the pale light of the moon could penetrate. It seemed to suck them down through the grass and Chiharu yelped when the world rushed by in a blur.

They were air-born again. Chiharu yelled and Sesshōmaru wrapped a strong arm around her waist, which did barely still the raging nerves. They soared downward at a speed that constricted her throat so that she could hardly draw a breath. Chiharu watched as the darkness disappeared and then the bright blue sky appeared, which couldn't be anything else than an illusion. Skeletal birds flew through the sky and the silver-haired Yōkai moved them towards the largest remains she had ever seen in her life. It was an enormous dog-like skeleton with an armour on the shoulders and on the chest. He entered through a gap in the armour, passing between two ribs and dropped to the ground gracefully.

It smelled strange. Chiharu sniffed around with a deep frown and decided that this must be the scent of dead foliage. Animal carcasses and even human bones lay scattered on the intracranial bone. He dropped her as if she'd burned him and she quickly crawled away, pressing her back against the frontal bone and waited for the Yōkai to do whatever he came for.

Jaken's bulbous yellow eyes glowered at her, and he swiftly scurried towards the side as well, as Sesshōmaru stepped towards a crappy looking sword.

"All of this, for that?" Chiharu muttered, glancing at Jaken with furrowed eyebrows. He was looking around in wonder as well. "For a Katana…"

"That's not just a Katana," Jaken told her importantly, probably forgetting his hostility against her. "That is the sword forged from Sesshōmaru-sama's father's fang."

"I see," Chiharu mumbled, watching as Sesshōmaru grabbed the handle of the sword. He was repelled almost instantly and Chiharu smiled smugly to herself when he hissed.

"A Kekkai," Sesshōmaru muttered. "Figures, there's a Kekkai on it."

Chiharu pursed her lips. The sword had a Kekkai on it, yet it looked all but worthless.

"Sesshōmaru!"

The Daiyōkai turned around almost lazily. Inuyasha jumped down from the protruding collarbone, leaving Kagome on one of the ribs. Inuyasha charged at his older brother, claws at the ready and again Sesshōmaru dodged the Hanyō easily. He appeared on the other side with a pulse of Youki and laughed openly at Inuyasha's shocked face. Inuyasha's right eye was still closed and swollen, but his left eye was alit with pure anger.

"Draw the sword, Inuyasha-sama!" Myoga-jiji yelled, but Inuyasha was already charging at his older brother.

"I'm not interested in some worn-out old word…"

Chiharu watched the two demons fight while Myoga-jiji told the Hanyō, over and over, to draw the sword, which he couldn't either. Sesshōmaru's attitude was cutting and superior, baiting the younger demon out of a sense of boredom, mixed with hatred. Chiharu wasn't sure what had happened between the two of them but the hatred between the two seemed hardly natural. She couldn't imagine hating her own sibling so much as both siblings seemed to hate each other.  
Chiharu cocked her head to the side. The older Yōkai was gorgeous, there was no denying that he was, in fact, well-built and easily capable of inducing dreamy eyes of females (her included), but he was also impossibly arrogant, cold and downright nasty. He taunted the younger demon with a smirk, a smirk that broadened when Inuyasha wasn't able to draw the sword either. She would be honest, at least to herself, the superiority was well-deserved, but the arrogance… He was better though; his fighting skills stronger and faster.

"Let me assist you, Sesshōmaru-sama!" the Kappa exclaimed, swirling his staff through his claws. Chiharu snorted, before slamming her bow against his staff, his claws loosening around the wood and it fell against the bones with a hollow clunk.

"I don't think so, little goblin." She snapped, using her bow as leverage to pull him away.

Kagome jumped down next to them; "We have to do something!"

"What do you want, he can summon and hide his youki at will?" Chiharu asked angrily.

"But you know how to shoot, don't you?" Her older sister demanded, picking the fallen staff off the floor and held it in front of her as a shield.

"Yes…" Chiharu muttered, "But he goes so fast…"

Just then Sesshōmaru slammed Inuyasha down into the ground and cracked his claw above his head. "Dissolve," he whispered threateningly and Kagome let the staff drop from her fingers.

"INUYASHA!"

Tripping over the skulls, Kagome fell forward grappling at the sword for support, which moved with her until it slipped from the stone. Both Yōkai stilled into their attack and glanced at Chiharu's older sister with a mix of shock and surprise.

"Uh," the schoolgirl mumbled. "I'm sorry? It slipped…"

"Slipped?" Chiharu muttered back, closing in on her sister and pulling her away from the pedestal and to the side. Sesshōmaru stared at them, or more accurately at Kagome and a moment later he appeared right in front of them. Kagome squealed, her fingers digging into Chiharu's shoulders when she hid behind her younger sister.

"How is it that a mere human can draw out Tetsusaiga, while this Sesshōmaru can't?"

"Perhaps the Kekkai only works against Demons?" Chiharu mumbled sarcastically.

He looked at Chiharu as if he barely believed she could speak, before raising an imperious eyebrow. Kagome pushed the hilt of the sword into her hands and carefully peeked over Chiharu's shoulder. "If that's the case then logic dictates you should hold it now."

"I didn't know you wanted to get rid of me that badly."

"Then do something!" Kagome whispered back and Sesshōmaru bared his fangs.

"Sesshōmaru!" Inuyasha snarled, slowly straightening himself. "Leave them alone, they've got nothing to do with this."

"I disagree," the Daiyōkai whispered, and Chiharu felt something cold run through her. She swirled around as fast as she could and stared at her sister with wide eyes.

"Run!"

She didn't have to be told twice, and the both of them bolted. Sesshōmaru dodged his half-brother again with an annoyed grunt and gave an annoyed look towards Chiharu.

"What am I supposed to do with this." She muttered, glancing at the katana in her hand. What was Kagome thinking, pushing it in her hands to even begin with? Whenever there were problems, Chiharu was supposed to fix them (unless they had to do with Sōta, she insisted to be the big sister with him). That was their dynamic. When panic struck, Chiharu took charge.

Kagome was hyperventilating on the other side of the room, Jaken's staff clutched between her fingers again and was glancing up at Inuyasha, almost beaming. "I believe in you." She told him positively.

"Aren't you a little too optimistic?" Inuyasha muttered back, trying again to slash at his brother. The full blooded yōkai dodged the younger boy easily and took to the air.

He glanced Chiharu's way again and she just knew the Full-demon would come after her (again) — after all, she was holding that stupid sword —, and she hurled the sword through the clearing. "Fetch boy!"

Whoever fetched it she didn't care. Jaken poked a clawed finger against her clad leg and both brothers glared at her as the sword clanged down against skulls and bones. Inuyasha picked it up, holding it against the light as if to examine it.

"Keh, it looks like a piece of junk."

"Who cares?" Chiharu yelled. "Why not using it to get out of here?"

The Daiyōkai glared at her and she heard Jaken chuckle. Warning bells went off in Chiharu's head, and she became uncharacteristically unnerved. Slowly, ever so slowly, she pulled an arrow free — her last one — and held it close to her bow.

Her heart picked up its pace, hammering under her ribs and her breath hitched when he moved to her. She drew her bow tight and released the arrow. He didn't even bother to dodge it, instead, he caught it in mid-air in his left hand and snapped it in two.

"Great idea!" Chiharu muttered, an edge of hysterics pulling at the edges of her mind. "He just caught the arrow in mid-air, thank you Kagome-neechan. Great idea!"

"Leave her alone!" Inuyasha yelled, and Kagome squealed when Inuyasha crushed the armour covering Sesshōmaru's left shoulder with his claw. The sword remained useless. It just bounced off against Sesshōmaru's arm, and the older Yōkai sneered.

"Tetsusaiga," he whispered his right-hand curling into a fist. "Give it to me, Inuyasha."

"Like hell, you bastard, you cannot even touch it!"

His face seemed amused, and then he twisted around, appearing in front of her. Chiharu yelped, her heart thudded, her mouth sandpaper-dry and her mind a choppy sea of fears. Sesshōmaru slapped the bow out of her hand, snapping it in two as well. She was terrified when he twirled her around pressing her back against his front and dug his left hand into her hair, craning her neck painfully. "Last chance, little brother."

"You wouldn't!" Inuyasha hissed with certainty.

And Chiharu inhaled a shaky breath. She wondered how stupid you could be; challenging the man who was holding her captive. Warm breath fanned over the sensitive skin of her neck and Chiharu slowly started to wriggle into his grip trying to pull herself free.

"Inuyasha-Sama!" Myoga the flea cried and Chiharu felt the beginnings of true fear gripping at her heart.

"This one wants the sword." The Daiyōkai whispered, warm breath ghosting over her earlobe and her neck.

"Well, you can't get it, you bastard!" Inuyasha cried, again trying to take his older brother down, but Sesshōmaru dragged Chiharu away from him and took to the air again, landing onto one of the ribs. Her feet slipped off of the rib, and the Daiyōkai chuckled when the Hanyō slammed into the carcass-filled floor.

"Your choice…" he muttered, before yanking at her hair, baring even more from her neck. Chiharu's scream died in her throat as his fangs sank into the pale unyielding flesh of her throat. She trashed against his form, his left arm winding around her waist, keeping her from falling. Her breathing laboured and her eyes rolled back into her head. She heard someone scream and the Hanyō cursed foully.

Her neck started to feel numb and her heartbeat had ceased its rapid rhythm. If anything it started to slow down and Chiharu tried to keep her eyes open, even if it was just a little. She could faintly feel the steady beat of Sesshōmaru's heart (if her head had been any clearer she would have been surprised he even had one).

"Stop!" she whispered weakly, only half aware that the air whisked past her. "P-please stop! You're going to… kill me!" He disengaged his fangs and loosened his hand onto her hair.

Inuyasha screamed, his voice sending vibrations through the large carcass and Chiharu tried to grasp at her injured neck.

He dropped her. He must have because she fell down onto the bones and her body became limp. An animalistic growl erupted and she glanced at the fight between the two brothers, through heavy-lidded eyes. Her neck ached and a fire burned through her veins like an unknown poison. Her legs started to jerk and her fingers curled into tight fists.

"Why?"

"You needed to learn your place." she heard the Daiyōkai tell his younger brother smugly.

"She's human!"

"Myoga-jiji?" Kagome's voice whispered and Chiharu felt a hand press against her neck.

"Not good, not good at all!" the flea whispered, muttering instruction of how to stop the heavy blood flow. Chiharu knew she was going to pass out when her stomach turned and cold sweat appeared on her back and her forehead. She felt sick and nausea crept from her abdomen to her head while the world went black.

 _To be continued..._


	2. Chapter 1, In the Well

**A/N: Oh my god I'm so happy with all the reviews I got for this. I realise the prologue might have been a bit vague. It was supposed to. This chapter will be more of an introduction. There will be three chapters to build the story and then the prologue will become a lot clearer.**

 **I hope you'll like the first chapter as well and please leave a comment! I enjoyed them tremendously and as you see they made me work so much faster than I'd expected I would. I'll probably update much faster with such lovely words from you all (they're like cookies for my brain).**

 **I want to make one thing sure though. Sesshomaru is an arse. Especially in the first part of the manga and anime, and I'm not going to change that. Please enjoy this chapter!**

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 **o.O.o**

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 _ **Chapter one, In the Well**_

 _'In the garden of memory, in the palace of dreams… that is where you and I shall meet.' — Alice Through the Looking Glass_

 **T** he early morning light strained through the leaves of the large Go-Shin-Boku in front of Chiharu's bedroom, creating a scattered pattern of light on the faded green carpet. She stood in front of her vanity — an item she'd wanted when she was six — and scraped a brush through her long dark hair.

The yellow alarm clock on her nightstand was ticking merrily and the lightbulb above her head was softly buzzing as if it was complaining about its use. Chewing on the inside of her cheek, the young girl glanced at an old photograph of a large sakura tree, taken during spring years ago. She caught the old birthday card the picture was attached to.  
She loved spring. When she had been no more than a child she loved to accompany her mother to Hanami parties, viewing the blossoms open to the sun. Her favourite spot was in Sumida Park, at the waterline. She loved the sweet scent of sakura blossoms clouding her senses. Enjoyed catching the petals, especially when she was still a child. But that had changed a long time ago. She stopped visiting the Sumida park during May when her father died.

Chiharu Higurashi massaged the bridge of her nose, before folding her birthday card back up and placed it in the top drawer of her desk. She absentmindedly glanced at the faded scars on her hands. They were a reminder of that day, and although they had faded, they would never truly go away.

"Chiharu?" a voice behind her door yelled. "Are you ready?"

"One more minute!" she yelled back, straightening her green school-skirt and tied her red scarf around her neck.

Today she'd turned fifteen years old.

Chiharu smoothed down the front of her skirt and stepped out of her bedroom. Kagome Higurashi, her older twin-sister by three hours, was leaning against the wall. Her dark hair fell messily around her face and her skirt was at least an inch too short.

"Don't judge, I'm seeing Hojo today," Kagome told her younger sister matter-of-factly when she noticed the disapproval in Chiharu's face.

"Right, and he's seeing your legs, I assume?"

Crossing her arms over her stomach, automatically pushing her breasts up — which Chiharu envied her sister for — Kagome glared. "You're not funny…"

"I didn't try to be."

"Girls, you're going to be late if you don't get going." Their mother's voice retorted when the two girls descended the stairs and passed the kitchen.

"Hai Mama!" Kagome called back.

"Mama, can I take your bike?" Chiharu asked, walking into the kitchen. The tile floor was gleaming brightly in the morning sunlight. Her mother was leaning her elbows on the counter slowly placing the freshly cleaned plates in the drainer and looked up with a small frown.

"My bike?" She asked and Chiharu smiled guiltily at her mother when she pursed her lips. "All right, but if you break this one as well, you'll walk the rest of the year." She told her, yet no real threat in her voice.

"Hai, mama!" Chiharu grinned, before waving at her grandfather. "See you tonight Jii-chan! I do expect a birthday dinner, you know?"

Her grandfather smiled and nodded slowly. Chiharu shook her head before going outside. Kagome was waiting for her. Chiharu and Kagome were identical twins. They had the same shaped face, the same lips, but Kagome's body developed faster. Or at least that was what Chiharu hoped. Kagome's hair was unruly at the best of days, while Chiharu's hair was long and straight. But the clearest difference was their eyes. Kagome's eyes were blue, while her eyes both had a different colour; heterochromia iridium. One was blue and the other was brown, an easy characteristic to keep the girls apart.

"Birthday dinner?"

"That would be nice, wouldn't it?"

"If mama cooks, yes, but if Jiji does, he'll probably just cook the Kappa's hand," Kagome muttered and Chiharu chuckled.

"Nee-chan?"

"What now?" Kagome muttered, before glancing towards their younger brother; Sōta Higurashi. He was standing next to the old family shrine. Kagome's eyes narrowed and she all but stomped towards him hand clasped tightly around her backpack.

"You know you shouldn't play in the shrine, Sōta." She admonished sternly and the boy wrung his hands together.

"I know— But Buyo, he's inside."

"The cat?" Chiharu asked. "How did our cat get inside, I thought we always kept the door locked?"

"The door was open." The boy muttered, he was only ten after all and Chiharu shook her head when he slowly— obviously afraid— trekked into the shrine. The old wooden floorboard creaked loudly under his weight and he trembled. "I think Buyo is down there."

"Then why don't you go and get him?" Kagome asked.

Sōta shook his head resolutely, glaring at a cobweb on the railing. "No way, this place feels kinda creepy."

"Are you scared?" Kagome asked, crouching down next to her little brother. Chihara leaned against the doorsill. "Aren't you supposed to be a man?"

"Onee-chan…"

"Yeah, okay," she muttered. A strange sound came from the bottom of the shrine somewhere around the old well which was located in the centre.

"Something is there," he muttered, before hiding behind Chiharu.

"Just go on," she told her younger brother. "We'll get the cat, you should run, else you miss the bus." He didn't have to be told twice. Sōta nodded vigorously before turning the corner and ran out of sight.

Kagome's chin jutted forward. "Unbelievable, he plays the vilest sort of video games and yet, he doesn't dare to go into the shrine alone."

Chiharu shrugged. "You act like that surprises you." She took a couple of steps forward into the shrine. The wood complaining loudly under her feet and Chiharu nervously bit her lip. "Is the cat really down there?"

"Don't you start too," Kagome muttered before moving down the stairs. "What else should be down there?"

"Onee-san?" Chiharu asked tentatively while pushing her dark hair out of her eyes. Her older sister was silently standing next to the well and Chiharu raised an eyebrow. "Have you located Buyo already?"

"No," Kagome muttered, "You could come downstairs and help me."

"Fine," Chiharu muttered, tentatively descending the old creaky stairs as well.

It was sudden. The only warning Chihara got, was a strange feeling followed by a harsh breaking sound before a large female, looking more like a centipede, burst out of the enshrined Bone Eater's well, dragging Kagome into it. Her scream never left her lips and as Kagome disappeared out of sight, a purple hue engulfed her and Chiharu stood rooted to the spot.

She waited a few seconds before moving forward. Her hands firmly gripped onto the well and she screamed: "Kagome!"

As she looked over the ledge and squinted through the darkness Chiharu waited for her older sister to react. Waited for her to groan and mumble. She didn't and she didn't see her at the bottom of the well either.

"Kagome-onee-chan?" Chiharu tried again, but the only sound that greeted her was the faint sounds of cars, buses and people from the street. She was gone and she felt her face pale even more. How was this even possible?

"How?" she whispered still not seeing her older sister, nor the weird centipede-woman. Disappeared in thin air and, it was strange, but it was almost as if the well was beckoning her. Inhaling sharply, she bunched up the sleeves of her blouse and dropped her backpack onto the dusty floorboard. While exhaling, she threw a leg over the ledge and sat nervously onto the wooden ledge.

"This is a bad idea." She murmured. "This is such a bad idea."

She kicked off, dropping down and just as she was about to squeeze her eyes shut, she was developed into a haze of brilliant purple light. Chiharu landed feet first with a small yelp. A tremor ran through her legs and she slumped to her knees. The dirt beneath her felt solid and the walls around her covered in dirt. She waited a moment, breathing in harshly and blinked repeatedly. She had just dissolved in a burst of light in a free fall and she was all right.

Dusting her skirt off she glanced around the dark confines of the well. There was no trace of Kagome, but lumps of flesh and bone surrounded her. She shuddered, slowly getting up to her feet and looked up the dark shaft, and up into the round eye of the sky above her. Her eyebrows furrowed, she wasn't supposed to see the sky. It wasn't supposed to show the sky, and she blinked against the harsh contrast of the stark blue sky to the darkness from the well.

Glancing down at the lumps of flesh onto the soil and she grimaced. That same strange feeling settled into her gut. Swallowing, she felt for leverage and started to climb. Above her, she heard the birds chirp and the wind whispered through the leaves. With some difficulty she heaved herself over the lip of the well and heaved, waiting for her breath to return.

She was in a clearing, surrounded by large trees, instead of the well-house in their backyard, and the only thing that reminded her of her own home was the large Go-Shin-Boku tree, throwing a large shadow over her. Long grass tickled her calves and she had to forcefully keep her breathing even.

"Where am I?" she whispered to herself while glancing around.

There was no trace of Kagome.

Chiharu slowly ventured away from the well, silently moving through the bushes and the trees while trying to find her older sister. Bunching up the sleeves of her blouse, she trekked further into the woods. She had no idea she was only moving further away from the Bone-Eaters-Well and therefore further away from her lost and wandering older sister.

 **I-I. ⌡. Γ┐**

A week had passed. Days, hours and seconds she couldn't precisely count had passed and Chiharu had no idea where she was. She had never been this lost before. She whimpered, slowly approaching the small stream-fed pond. The rivers were deceptive, lying across the lands in smooth curves, beautiful in the morning light. She tried washing her face, wincing, when the cold water dripped down her cheeks and chin. Even in March — was it March in here — the water was icy.  
Holding her balance with one hand on the mossy shallow bank she stared at her reflection. She had been lost before. Years ago, when she had been seven years old, she'd gotten lost in the city. That had been nothing compared to now. She had no idea where to go now, and she couldn't seem to find anything to orientate herself on. She sighed softly, her fingers trailing circles over her slightly swollen ankle. She glanced at the morphed reflection in the water below her. Her cheeks were dirty and her school-uniform was torn at several places. Her knees were capped and altogether, she looked very tired. Chiharu had been on the run for at least a week. She had no idea what this place was. It seemed like a dream, yet she never woke up from it. She felt pain when she fell down a slope and almost drowned when swallowed too much water in the lake that had caught her. She had travelled through a forest and two villages with people who had been hostile at best and had coughed herself hoarse when trying to clean herself in a river at least four times. Nothing of which normally happened in dreams.

"Why am I here?" she whispered. The water surface was livened briefly by the crescents of white from the scales of a fish. She followed it down the stream and dipped her fingers just below the surface.

If she had to guess, she'd estimated they were in the Sengoku period. Which was weird enough, but she had never thought about the possibility of Yōkai existing. Whenever her Grandfather told about them, she'd just smiled, yet she had been attacked by demons. She had been attacked by demons, humans and wild animals more times than she cared to admit. She had nearly been killed more than once. She bit onto her lower lip when she felt the now familiar tingle run up her spine, the feeling that always assaulted her when a Yōkai was close. She scrambled away from the spring and pressed her back against the rough bark of a tree. Thankfully whatever it was, passed by without a hitch.

She'd produced sparks of power she didn't understand two or three days ago, venting off a dangerous attack. They were helpful, yet, she wondered if these came from passing through the well, or if they'd been there since she was small. She hadn't thought about it at first when she thought her surroundings were just forged by her imagination. Her own twisted version of Alice in Wonderland. It was somewhat the same, falling down a hole and stepping out into a whole other world, yet she hadn't found the Cheshire Cat, the Duchess or the Mad Hatter.

Glancing at the marsh plants on the banks, wilted and weak, the leaves yellowed at the edges, she exhaled loudly. She recalled vaguely that she'd seen these powers before when she was little, but then again she did believe she could turn into a cat as well, so perhaps her childhood memories of that time were not all that accurate.

Chiharu was not entirely new to the stories and fables her grandfather always told the tourists and used to tell her and her sister several times before they would go to sleep. He told them about the legends of Yōkai and a special magical jewel. Told them about the Houshi's and Miko's who exhibited supernatural qualities and could protect the humans against the monsters, but till a week ago, she'd always been dismissive about the notion of having spiritual powers or the chance that Yōkai really existed. Thereby, it wasn't the yōkai who'd attacked her the most.

In the distance, she heard the sound of the hustle and bustle of a village and Chiharu exhaled softly. She was in dire need of supplies. Especially of clothes, because these were rather tattered and they were highly inappropriate for this time. Chiharu estimated she was in the Sengoku period. The reason: she was pretty sure she'd heard the name Oda Nobunaga at least once on her travels, and he lived during the Sengoku period. Considering that there was no political structure what so ever and the near constant military conflicts she'd seen, she suspected she was stranded mid or even at the end of the sixteenth century.

Engrossed in her thoughts she followed the sound of people — if they were soldiers again, she would leave immediately — she limped tiredly closer. The road was strangely straight yet without the tarmac asphalt. She hadn't thought she would ever miss the cars speeding over the hard asphalt, headlights reflected off the puddles and the street lamps high in the berm.

It began raining and, even without actual cars and the buses, the traffic was chaotic. All kind of carriages and carts were being pulled by horses and people were carrying heavy loads of rice. Chiharu's brows furrowed together. She'd never seen so many horses all at once. She pressed herself to the rough bark of the tree surveying her surroundings. Her school uniform, ripped and tattered, would stand out to all of them and she exhaled sharply.

Slowly backing away from the main road, she absentmindedly watched the coaches rock wildly, every time the horses turned a corner. She started to move further through the woods, her feet aching.

She slowly crept closer to the edge of the forest. A few houses were located around a large campfire and clean, or at least relatively clean, laundry was hung up on clotheslines. Glancing down at her tattered clothing she inched closer. Just something to wrap around herself. That way she would be able to stay warm at night. She had stolen before, little things, like a cup of rice or a sack of vegetables to cook. To have dinner. One piece of clothing to protect her modesty wasn't that bad was it?

A large scarf hung on one of the poles and she slowly unwound it from the pole and wrapped it around her.

"Stop, stay where you are!"

Chiharu looked back over her shoulder before she ran for it. A young man in a haori emerged from the bushes trying to catch her. She glanced around when she crossed the clearing, barely swooping past a woman carrying a child close to her chest.

"Stop her!" the man cried out, "Stop the thief!"

She jumped over a sack of rice and quickened her pace when she realised she was nearing the tree line. With a last burst of speed, she squealed when she almost collided with another woman, carrying a big jug. Water splashed onto the soil beneath their feet, along with a mug, scattering china with a hollow crash.

Chiharu hoped her pursuers would slip and fall on it as they did on television, but just as she was about to reach the forest, someone's hand clasped around her ankle, sending her crashing onto the floor.

"I've got her!" a new person cried, and Chiharu turned her head around and looked in the face of an old man.

"Who is she?" another voice asked and Chiharu flinched, when the cool metal of steel pressed against her throat. Inhaling sharply her fingers fisted into the small strands of grass and she looked up at an armour-clad soldier.

"She must be a thief! I never saw her here before. And those clothes!" her first pursuer snarled. "Perhaps a Yūjo? Shinmachi is close by…"

Did they just think she was a courtesan? Chiharu felt her cheeks heat up. Admittedly her clothes were deemed as a provocation, but wasn't she a bit young? Then again, she could have been a mother at this time. Chiharu slowly got to her feet, while the soldier pressed the blunt side of his spear under her chin.

"Pretty little thing." He murmured. "Wouldn't mind visiting you…"

"I'm not a courtesan." She bit out, wrapping her arms around her chest.

"Than what are you, my child?" a new voice asked.

He eyed her clothes with a lecherous smirk and she felt her cheeks heat up even more. The soldier stepped closer and Chiharu squinted her eyes at his bad sweaty smell. He fingered the hem of her school blouse and pushed it up enough to let his fingers trail over her abdomen.

"Don't touch me!" she cried loudly, pink energy fizzling at her fingertips. She had no idea, how to control it, but she noticed the surprised looks on their faces.

"Reiki," the monk whispered. "A Miko?"

'… _Reiki…_?'

"You're a Miko?" the second man asked, wearing a similar costume her grandfather always wore. Her grandfather was a kind man. She knew it was a bit of a leap to say every monk was kind, but she thought she had a better chance with someone who was supposed to be kind and fair.

Miko, it was as good as any explanation and she nodded vigorously. "Yes, I was cleaning my clothes," — upon seeing the same lecherous stare on the soldier's face she glared —"Not these, these I found, I had to wear something."

"You were robbed?" her first pursuer asked and she nodded slowly.

"And you tried to rob us?" a female asked, her eyebrows furrowing.

"Yes, well, your friend isn't the first one who thought I traded pleasure for— anything actually, so I didn't really see any other choice." She told them, which wasn't really all that much of a lie. "Thereby, I was just going to take a scarf so I could bath and wash my clothes. You'd get it back."

"I'm Daiki," the monk told her, "Your reiki is obviously untrained."

"Yeah," she muttered, wracking her brain for what she knew about Reiki and Mikos. Her Grandfather never shut up about it, so she should know something useful. "My Grandfather is a Priest," she admitted softly, fidgeting slightly while plucking at her uniform shirt. "He was the only one who could teach me in my village, but he died when I was young."

"And now—"

"I teach myself," Chiharu explained. "It goes well enough, I suppose, but it's still difficult if you don't even know the basics."

"Stand back, soldier." The monk said drawing himself up to his full height. "We don't harm those from holy blood. Especially not when they're still so young."

The soldier grumbled, but he did lower his weapon. Chiharu yanked her arm back with a grunt and heaved a huge sigh.

"Miko or no Miko, she still has to answer for her crimes." The soldier snapped.

"She'll have to answer to our Lord Nagashino."

"Doesn't our Lord have better things to do, with Takeda Katsuyori's army launching an attack on the castle than to deal with a young Miko who is in urgent need of training?"

"A crime is a crime…"

He grabbed her upper arm and dragged her away. She struggled, trying to dig her nails into his hand

"Girl," the soldier snapped, tightening his hold on her upper arm as he forced her along.

He pushed her into a coach and just as another man stepped in next to her, the monk came to pushing a bundle of clothes into her hands. Chiharu smiled gratefully:

"Thank you!"

The soldier climbed into the coach-box and goaded the horses to move. The coach swayed and Chiharu clasped at her seat. She started to feel slightly nauseated. Obviously, you needed a strong stomach to ride one of these. She looked through the gap in the thick curtains and exhaled slowly. She couldn't see much of her surroundings, and every time the coach swayed she tried to prevent her from falling against the large men sitting next to her, eyeing her legs hungrily.

Chiharu was very much aware that going to a castle 'to pay for her crimes' was just a fraud. The way this man, who didn't seem to be a guard if his embroiled clothing was any indication, eyed her legs left little to the imagination as to what he wanted to do.  
Slowly she started to panic. Whenever she looked out of the coach windows, nothing seemed all that familiar. And the closer they came to the castle the closer they came to whatever this man next to her had planned for her. Her fingers curled into the clothing the Monk had given her, she glanced out of the coach windows again. If she got the chance she left the coach and make a beeline for the forest edge. She closed her eyes and tried to remember what she knew about the castle of Nagashino, or more accurately the battle of Nagashino. She was rather sure it wouldn't be the safest place to be around.

"We are nearing the castle." The man informed her, his left hand nearing her exposed knee and Chiharu pressed herself against the door and felt her toes curl.

"Great," she mumbled.

He smiled his fingers ghosting over her upper-leg and Chiharu slapped his hand away. "I am not a prostitute," she hissed and his smile fell away.

"Not an aruki Miko then?"

She felt her _reiki_ surge. "My parents' temples have never been troubled by bankruptcy, so no, I'm not to be associated with a prostitute. When I meet my father, and he finds out someone tried and succeeded to rob me, hell will break loose."

She had no idea where all the lies came from, but just as the man pulled his hand back, she slammed the door open and jumped out of the couch. She ran hard and fast, thundering through the narrow paths in the forest. Thankfully the sun was going down, so she expected following her might be a lot harder now. In the distance, she heard several men yell and she quickened her pace. She fled almost blindly, branches scratching at her face, her legs and her arms, but at least—

' _Men are pigs, no matter which time we are!_ '

She glanced over her shoulder. At least, she wasn't followed and she grinned when no one was following her. She might not have had any endurance when she'd been at home, but she'd built up a fortitude that lasted long. Thereby she had grown used to run through the woods and found it much easier to evade her enemies into under the covers of the leaves of the trees, than into a clearing. She veered off the narrow path and winced when thin branches welted her skin. Little twigs snapped under the thumping of her pounding feet and leaves got caught on her hair.

She disappeared into the quickly dying light of the day and only when her calves started to burn and her knees started to jar, she slowed down. She had neared the edge of the forest and peered out over a large meadow. Breathing loudly, she peered down at the meadow. The soft light of the rising moon illuminated the billows of mist and the silhouetting of the canopy of trees below.

"Thank God," she whispered, slowly slumping down onto her knees. She carefully brushed her hands over her once-green skirt, which was now splattered thickly with mud and curled her legs under her. Biting down onto her lower lip, she peered at the clothes the Monk had given her and she shrugged out of her blouse and skirt. The Miko garb was very alike her grandfather's clothes and she smiled.

At least this way she wouldn't stand out as much. She breathed out softly, collecting dry twigs and broken branches to build a fire. This day had brought her at least one good thing; a cover story. And she would use that cover story to her benefit.

 _To be continued…_

* * *

 **A/N: Sometimes bluff is the best defence. Chiharu isn't some Mary Sue character. She will do whatever she has to, to survive (not sleeping with people for money, she's very much like a prudish child, so that wouldn't work). She will, however, steal if she has to and lie if she can get away with it. Fear and survival go hand in hand and I like the complexity of stealing, which is generally not accepted, yet I still understand when you feel the need to.**

 **Japanese terms:  
** **\- Yūjo: a woman of pleasure/courtesan.  
** **\- Shinmashi: 'pleasure quarter', or Yūkaku, in Osaka.  
** **\- Miko: priestess  
** **\- Daiki: 'great glory', 'great noble' and 'great tree'  
** **\- Houshi: monk  
** **\- Yoshitoshi launches his troops to attack the castle of Nagashino 1575 (that's approximately the timeline I'll use).**

 **Please leave a comment. I'd love to know what you all think^^**

 **Inuyasha doesn't belong to me, but to Rumiko Takahashi**


	3. Chapter 2, The Sengoku Period

**A/N: Thank you all for your lovely reviews. They made me so happy! With the weekend around I will have the time to respond to all of you who've reviewed. To all of my guest reviewers, I cannot respond to you personally, but know your reviews are greatly appreciated. I threw Chiharu into the deep, but she'll find her way eventually.**

 **Inuyasha belongs not to me, but to Rumiko Takahashi**

 **Enjoy the new chapter, and of course, let me know what you think!**

* * *

 **o.O.o**

* * *

 _ **Chapter Two, The Sengoku period**_

 **A** slight breeze ruffled the leaves on the trees while the sun was barely up. Chiharu readjusted the knot on her obi, wriggling her toes in her sandals and blinked against the early sunlight. The bow — which she'd nicked — beat against her back and her hair was only bound together by a flimsy ribbon.

She had nearly trekked all the way across the island of Japan. Had to get to food by hunting for it and she had been attacked by at least four demons on her way. She had never known what the buzzing feeling in her hands had meant before. She'd never understood she was a Miko. But she thanked whatever Kami responsible because it had more than once saved her life.  
The attacks, the attempts on her life, on her liver, or whatever it was they wanted from her body, had made her stronger. She was able to erect small shields and although it was difficult, she could empower her arrows taking down minor demons and distracting the larger ones long enough for her to run.

Moving through the bushes, she stepped into a clearing. She frowned. She didn't like clearings too much, as they made her an easy target. Clamping her hands around her bow, she exhaled sharply and pulled her map out of her pocket. She had never been too good at reading one, but after travelling the wrong way for a week, she started to understand how to plot her way. At least she expected to go the right way.

She expected that the well, in their shrine at home in Tokyo, would transport her back to the modern time. If it could transport her to the sixteenth century Chiharu was almost sure, it could transport them back as well. She just had to find the small clearing with that same well, and she could go back home.

The problem was; she should have been there by now. Blowing a dark lock of hair out of her face, she glanced around hoping there was something in the vicinity she could use to orientate herself.

Only so many were willing to help her. And those who did, only wanted to help her if there was something to gain. Men in this time were pigs!

"—My Lord, when we get to Edo—" a voice said, sharply cutting through the eerie silence of the woods.

Chiharu's eyes widened; she couldn't believe her luck. Whoever they were, they were travelling to Edo. Kicking the stone lodged between her feet and her sandal lose, she ran towards the sound of the voices. Emerging through the bushes she almost fell over the small demon who had been standing there.

He — or at least she thought he was male — was a toad demon, only two and a half feet tall, with large bulging eyes. Eyes which bulged even more when she almost ran him over. Rubbing her hands together she smiled as pleasantly as she could and subtly glanced around. He was alone.

"Edo?" she gasped, smiling as her reiki surged. "You're going to Edo? Me too! But well, I've lost my way— again, could you point me where I should go?"

"Sesshōmaru-Sama has better things to do that to aid a Ningen, such as yourself."

"Right," Chiharu answered, raising an eyebrow. He was alone, yet she had heard him talking to someone before. Was he schizophrenic? "I only wish to know which direction, I will not bother you again after that."

"Get lost!" he snarled and Chiharu felt a muscle in her cheek tense. Putting her hands on her hips, adopting one of her favourite poses in her repertoire — the one she always used with her younger brother — she glared down at the little toad-Yōkai.

"Now, listen here, there is no need to get rude with me, pointing me in the right direction would have been good enough." She snapped and her reiki sparked against his hostile youki. It was weak enough for her reiki to overpower it.

"Honestly what is it with the attitude here?" Chiharu muttered, glaring down at the little Yōkai, as he flailed his staff at her.

"Attitude?" he snapped and Chiharu was sure she'd never seen an uglier staff than the one he was using. "You're the one with the attitude!"

"Oh, am I? Now—" she started, but she never got to finish her sentence as a dark sort of youki pressed onto her from all sides. He appeared suddenly before her. Tall and menacing, but also regal. His amber eyes regarded her cooly, while the small toad-Yōkai yelled at her.

Chiharu wasn't sure why she felt a surge of fear run through her, but it gripped at her heart with almost painful intensity. He was tall, had long silver hair, with looks that couldn't compare. Chiharu didn't think he was much older than nineteen years old, but as a demon, looks were deceiving. The man wore a simple haori with a hakama, and wore the oddest armour she'd ever seen. A simple obi was wrapped around his waist and a fur pelt was draped over his right arm.

"Ha, now you're silent!" the Toad-Yōkai yelled smugly and Chiharu glared at him. "Sesshōmaru-Sama, this Ningen has been terribly rude."

"How do you put up with that?" she muttered and glanced back at the Yōkai standing stiffly before her. Something flickered in his amber eyes which she couldn't name.

"This Sesshōmaru ignores it." The man said softly, and she carefully inspecting the sharp maroon markings on his face. He had a curious crescent moon centred on his forehead and looked rather human. Chiharu was sure that if it wasn't for the strange amber eyes with slit pupils, she would have mistaken him for a human (a strange cross-dressing one perhaps, but still a human).

"I see, impressive." She whispered softly, taking a few small steps back. His eyes lingered on hers. She knew why, so many others stared at them, she had grown used to it. Pushing her Reiki out, just as the monk in the fourth village had thought her, she frowned when she no longer felt his Youki. If he was capable to restrain his Youki — something of which she had no idea how to do — what else was he capable of.

"What do you want, Miko?"

"Uh," she started, deciding, it might be wiser to stay respectful, "I've lost my way and I'm looking for Edo Si— Sesshōmaru-Sama."

He glanced at her with a bored expression. The Toad-Yōkai had finally shut up, and Chiharu fingered her bow with a nervous tremble to her fingers. Perhaps trying to find her way with the aid of her map was a better move on her part, than asking a Yōkai whose whole demeanour screamed of power. Straightening the already fading parchment she tried to figure out how far and more important which way she should go.

"You can read?"

The question took her by surprise and the only thing she could do was nod. He glanced at her eyes again and dedicatedly sniffed the air. His demeanour changed suddenly, shoulders stiffening and eyes losing all emotion (which hadn't been holding that much emotion, to begin with). She felt the strange aura as well and as the ground trembled, she slowly took a few steps back, away from the quickly nearing aura.

With an almighty howl, a large snake Yōkai emerged. The surface of the water in the pond nearby rippled, as a tree fell down and the snake hissed, before striking down at the silver-haired Yōkai.

Pebbles skittered across the stone as Sesshōmaru stepped out of the larger Yōkai's reach. He seemed almost bored in doing so and Chiharu slowly slipped an arrow out of its holster. This was one of the large Yōkai to distract. It was large, ugly and quite possibly as bright as a wet candle. It surprised Chiharu how many of those got distracted from the pretty pink light and gave her enough time to run.

"What are you doing?" the imp asked, and Chiharu gave him an indecorous look.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" she muttered, "I'm planning my escape! I haven't fought all those obstacles to be killed by this— _thing_."

"Milord has no problem taking down a low Yōkai like that." The imp stated proudly, and Chiharu raised an eyebrow.

"I realise this means nothing to you, but I'm— delicate…" she whispered. "It might not mean much to your master, but I'm not a skilled fighter and I don't want to die."

The imp snorted as if the word _delicate_ didn't even start to describe what he thought of her lesser strength. She would have loved to say something hateful, but as the imp retreated to safer grounds, she watched in awe as Sesshōmaru lashed out at the _lower Yōkai_. The Yōkai screeched loudly and tried to claw at his left arm. Sesshōmaru snorted rudely before his fingertips tinged green and he sliced the lower Yōkai in half. It dissipated before hitting the ground and Chiharu felt her mouth slack open.

' _Far stronger than I gave him credit for'_

"Jaken," Sesshōmaru said quietly, landing gracefully.

"Y-yes, milord?" the green imp whispered, bulbous yellow eyes peering at his master hopefully. Chiharu slowly pushed the arrow back, unsure of what she should do. Were congratulations in order? Should she clap her hands for him?

"Point the girl the way." He said simply and the little green Yōkai nodded frightfully. Chiharu couldn't help but smile smugly as _Jaken_ pointed his staff towards the East and muttered barely audible that she was almost there.

"Thank you!" she excitedly whispered, before starting down the direction given to her. After a few minutes she spotted thin wisps of smoke rising in the distance and she exhaled gratefully. "Please be Edo," she whispered to herself and she started to jog.  
As the path broadened, she noticed huts and a few larger houses clustered in the valley below, flanked by a large grid of rice paddies on one side and tall trees from the forest on the other side. Her smile broadened, but then she felt it.

A prickle at the edges of her senses and she paused. After a moment she felt it again, but stronger this time. A tendril of Youki coursing through the forest and down the village and Chiharu slowly eased an arrow into her left hand. Slowly, stepping off the path and zigzagged between the trees, she jogged down the hill. The village huts grew larger and larger and as she passed a flock of chickens quaked loudly.

Tendrils of hair— hair?— were wrapped around the houses and Chiharu slowly backed further away when she noticed the youki emitting off it. Several dazed farmers were walking around and as she turned around and quickly ran away, wondering what the source of the hair was, a branch above her head snapped.

"Oi, watch it— woman!" a boy yelled, before slamming straight into her, falling to the forest floor, sending a cloud of dust up into the air.

"Jesus Christ," Chiharu mumbled, "I just got hit by a truck…"

"For fuck's sake another?"

"What?" she mumbled rubbing dust out of her right eye and glared at the boy who just bumped into her. He was a few inches taller, with long white hair and amber coloured eyes. Strange fluffy white ears sat on top of his head and suddenly his face was nearing hers.

He sniffed her with a deep frown between his eyebrows and Chiharu bristled.

"Stop sniffing me!" she snapped, opening both her eyes and he openly stared at them.

"Well, at least, more than just your smell is different." He muttered before, pulling her up to her feet. "I'm going to wring her neck, leaving me alone with that crazy slut and her stupid spell."

"You mean the hair?" she asked, making a circular motion with her hands and smiled faintly when a transparent pink shield appeared.

"Yes, I mean the hair, you can see it?"

"You mean you can't?"

"No, I bloody well can't," he snapped, while tendrils of that same hair wrapped around his wrist.

"Stay still," she ordered and he gave her an annoyed look. She hooked her arrow behind it and her reiki sparked. It looked like a spark lighting gunpowder.

"Did you see that?" she asked, and he nodded.

"Well," He looked her up and down, "you'll do just fine." He muttered before scooping her up, throwing her unceremoniously over his shoulder and jumped into the air and onto a branch.

She yelped when her head almost collided with the rough bark of a tree and slashed at tendrils of hair trying to wrap around her neck with her arrow. "What are you doing?"

"I can't see them, you can, so you're going to help me!"

Automatically wrapping her arm around his neck, she glanced over his shoulder. She would have been much more willing to help if he'd at least given her the common courtesy to ask. A large lock of hair hung from one tree to the other, acting as a net. "Right in front of you, a large tendril."

She yelped when he swerved around it, and jumped down onto the forest floor. A slight prickle of pain flashed through her cheek before something warm trickled down her chin.

"Damn." The boy muttered, "Stupid fragility of you humans."

He set her down onto the dirt again and shrugged his outer haori from his shoulders.

"What are you doing?"

"It's made from the fur of Hinezumi, it's stronger than most armour." He told her and her eyes widened when he wrapped it around her.

"But, you don't even know me." She mumbled, as he moved her arms through the sleeves and was about to pick her up again.

"Listen, because I'll only tell you once, I need to retrieve the Shikon-no-tama to become a full-fledged demon. I also need to deal with that bitch who controls the hair. You're going to tell me where she is. I take it you can figure that out?"

"Uh, yeah, I suppose I could." She nodded, wondering why she was going directly against her instincts of survival. Directly fighting demons was not her approach. She had been able to outrun them, whenever she managed to distract them.

"I'm Chiharu," she introduced herself as she allowed him to pull her on his back and he snorted. She raised an eyebrow and felt a smile twitch. He was like a kid. "Am I supposed to call you 'dog-boy'?"

"Inuyasha," he muttered, before taking off again. She clung to his back as he evaded strings of hair and she tried to direct him as clear as possible. Using her thighs to balance herself, she drew her bow tight and released an arrow. It cut through the air with a low whistling sound and created a large opening through the hair still trying to get to them.

"There," she gasped suddenly when they noticed a bonfire in the woods. The main strands, which seemed to be the ones controlling the rest, were coming together. Around it, half a dozen beheaded bodies were tangled in the hair. Chiharu felt a tingle of dread run through her. She doubted they had died well.

"Damn," she whispered, and suddenly dozens of snaking hair tendrils shot at them. "They're coming straight at us. Dead ahead!"

"Okay," He nodded and leapt aside. A tree behind them exploded from the impact of the wave of hair and Chiharu tightened her hold on the boy. And suddenly a small tendril appeared out of nowhere and captured Inuyasha's wrist. He was pulled up into the air and she wrapped both hands around his captured wrist. Reiki travelled up her arm and sizzled past her fingertips.

He hissed, but the hair immediately disappeared. They both dropped down, skidding down a cliff. Chiharu hissed when the skin of her calf skid over the rocky ground and she came to a halt against a large boulder.

"A Miko and a Hanyō…" a woman said, her voice sickeningly sweet. "How unusual!"

They looked up to see a woman with short cropped black hair. She cackled madly and raised a single hand over her head. The hair instantly shot up into the darkness, picking her up as well. A large ball hung in the middle and she hovered above it as some twisted marionette.

"You're Inuyasha, aren't you?" she asked, but her question was rhetorical.

Inuyasha snorted rudely. "And you're Inverted-hair Yura… How do you know me?"

"You have gained quite a reputation among the Oni you know. Inuyasha… the Hanyō who acts as a lapdog for a reincarnated Miko… and we know you intend to collect the shards of the Shikon no Tama." she told him dryly.

"Me? Serving that brainless girl?" Inuyasha gawked. "You've got to be kidding me." His cheeks were quickly reddening and Chiharu raised an eyebrow. ' _The brainless girl who left him here to deal with the situation alone?_ '

Chiharu defensively crossed her arms over her chest and Yura the Oni peered down at them with a small smile. Inuyasha fingered the rosary around his neck and cracked his fingers. Chiharu didn't see its significance, but Yura apparently did.

"I see," Yura muttered, seeming to find them as interesting as a death flea. "Well, both of you are brainless," she told him matter-of-factly, before reaching a hand between her breast and retrieved a small charm pouch. "I'll kill you both, just in case, and then I can collect these at my leisure." She told them showing them a strange glowing shard.

"You're going to kill me, are you?" the Hanyō whispered, anger radiating off his form. He used a large part of the hair that was curling around them to swing towards Yura, claws at the ready, but the Oni easily dodged the attack, raising her hands above her head and instantly shot up into the darkness above, pulled by the strands of hair.  
Almost instantly new tendrils snaked around Inuyasha, binding him once more with Yura falling in behind him with a wicked smile. She was toying with him, and Chiharu focused on the faint light coming from the Shikon-no-tama shard. Yura had put it back into the pouch between her breasts. If she could hit it, she would probably hit internal organs as well.

Spinning around on her hair she laughed hysterically and unsheathed her sword and slashed at Inuyasha's chest. Blood welled up and soaked the white linen of the white kosode he wore under his haori.

"Nice sword you got there," he chuckled sarcastically, but it was obvious to Chiharu he was only putting up a front. She did no longer care where she shot her, as long as she hit her. Readying an arrow, she aimed, watching with morbid fascination as Yura licked her sword.

"Go to hell," Chiharu whispered, pushing as much of her holy power into the arrow as she could. It hit her straight in the shoulder, the flesh sizzling. Wondering if destroying her 'nest' would do the trick, she notched another one. Yura the Oni seemed not at all bothered by the loss of her arm, but when the second arrow sliced through the air and found its mark in the giant hairball, sending a purifying light through it she screeched. With a loud howling sound innumerable skulls starting to spill out from the demon's lair.

"My trophies!" she screeched "I really hate Mikos." The short-haired woman hissed before throwing her sword at the young girl. Inuyasha hoisted her up in his arms again and jumped them out of the way.

The Oni snorted, raising her hand again. Chiharu noticed a red comb clutched into her left hand and frowned, but couldn't focus on it as a gigantic sphere of hair crashed into the ground before them. Inuyasha skidded down the cliff and pushed her behind a boulder.

"Oi, Wench! Can you hit her again, or were those first tries just pure luck?" he snapped sceptical, pushing his claws into the fresh wounds of his chest.

"After the last few weeks spending on the run and being attacked by humans and demons alike, yes, I know how to use a bow and arrow, all right…" she muttered angrily.

He nodded, before dodging the hair that tried to wrap around his ankles like vines again and she sighed. Chiharu carefully glanced down the cliff, to the forest edge bellow. Swallowing she notched another arrow on her bow and nodded to him. "Keep her distracted, I don't think having her shooting things at me, will be very helpful."

"Keh!" Inuyasha hissed, before jumping up towards Yura, who again effortlessly avoided him, but almost instantly the Hanyō cracked his fingers. "Take this bitch!"

"Hijin Ketsusou!"

Blades of blood sliced through her and this time her left hand was separated from her body. Chiharu slowly inched around the other side of the boulder. Her eyes widened when she noticed the comb disappear into the nones below. Slowly, she inched closer, keeping her fingers stiffly curled around a red skull. It looked to be the centre of the hair and more importantly, a strange aura was emitted.  
Chiharu wheezed and trembled, before pressing her back against the hard stone. An icy wind picked her hair up and felt wonderfully against her heated flesh. Inuyasha swore when the arrow missed Yura — by meters — and arced over the intended skull.

"Shit!" she mumbled and went for another arrow when Yura howled in anger. Her face turned an unflattering shade of red and suddenly she appeared like an acrobat falling from the sky, to land skilfully on a narrow string of hair.

"You little brat!" she snarled and tendrils of hair snaking around her wrists, pulling her down face first into the dirt. "Just die, bitch!"

Yura swung her arm wide, sending a blaze of demonic fire along the strands of hair directly to where Chiharu laid on the dirt. Chiharu gasped and squirmed under the searing flames, clinging to the fire rat robe for dear life. She couching softly, wondering why the fire was not yet eating at her flesh, nor scalding it or harming her in any way. Chiharu's brows knitted together and exhaled slowly when she did not burn at all.

Inuyasha's screams were loud in her ears and she slowly sat up, panting breathlessly and she felt faint. Getting to her feet, she stumbled towards the sagging hair from the nest and with a cry of revenge, she let her notched arrow loose. It flew perfectly true, and it crushed the red-coloured skull with a sharp snap. Yura's eyes widened in horror as the arrow flared a dark pink before the skull disintegrated under the arrow. The comb fizzled and cracked into a million pieces.

Yura disappeared, her voice cracked as if it was breaking and she turned into dust, leaving only her dark fighting clothes and the yellow obi. They were both breathing heavily. The white-haired boy slightly wobbling on his feet and Chiharu carefully moved towards him.

"That bitch!" Inuyasha snapped, "No wonder I couldn't hurt her, no matter how many times I cut her down! She transferred her soul into a _fucking_ comb."

"I never knew that was possible," Chiharu muttered, "Are you all right?"

"It's no big deal, we need the Shinkon-no-tama shards." The boy mumbled and Chiharu shook her head, retrieving the pouch with the shards from Yura's clothes.

"All of this for just a few shards, my goodness!" She whispered. Glancing at the strange glowing objects, she looked back at Inuyasha. His face was pale and she was breathing heavily. His eyes suddenly narrowed and he glared at the bushes behind her. A moment later she (also) heard the rustling of leaves and as she turned around a gasp penetrated the still air.

"Chiharu?"

"Onee-chan?" Chiharu mumbled, twirling around and staring straight into the familiar face. "Oh my God, Onee-chan!" she cried, her eyes widening when she noticed the familiar figure of her big sister. The girls stared at each other for a moment, before Chiharu launched herself at her older sister. "Oh Kami! I missed you so much!"

"It's been two weeks Chiharu, where have you been?" Kagome whispered, her voice muffled by Chiharu's neck, her arms tightened around Chiharu's middle.

"Oi Wench!" an annoyed voice snarled, and Chiharu watched from the corners of her eyes as the silver-haired Hanyō jumped down a tree. "We don't have time for some kind of reunion. We were looking for that crazy hair-obsessed bitch, and you just fucking left!"

"What, why?"

"You don't want to know," Kagome whispered softly, gripping Chiharu's hand and Chiharu nodded absentmindedly. Inuyasha wasn't very civil with a conversation. "I'm so glad you're all right though. Mama and jii-chan are so worried."

"You've been back?"

"For fuck's sake!" Inuyasha snapped, taking the two steps separating them, yanking Chiharu away from Kagome and winced. "You just left. You untrustworthy, two-faced, whiny bitch!"

"Inuyasha!"

Kagome's face turned the most unflattering shade of red she'd ever seen on her older sister and her eyes narrowed. "Osuwari!" she snapped and Chiharu's mouth fell open when the Hanyō crashed into the forest floor.

"Kagome!" Chiharu snapped, when Inuyasha slowly sat up, his hand grasping at the wound on his chest. "He's hurt. I know he is rude. Very rude actually, but however you did that, it is not fair!"

Inuyasha hissed and glared at Kagome again, slowly getting to his feet. "You didn't say _she_ would look like Kikyō as well, either!"

"I told you she is my _twin_ sister…" Kagome returned angrily and Chiharu raised an eyebrow.

"Kikyō?"

"You don't want to know that either," Kagome said and Chiharu worried her lower lip, before pushing a reluctant Inuyasha down onto a log.

"You should sit down." She told him. "I know your healing speed is much faster than that of a regular human, but you got cut by a sword. Just sit, and don't complain."

"Feh,"

"By the way," Chiharu muttered, slipping out of the red haori, "Thank you for letting me borrow this. It saved my life."

"Uh… You're welcome…" he muttered embarrassedly and Chiharu felt slightly amused. He was just like a Junior High kid. Dealing with him was going to be fun…

"Where have you been all this time?" Kagome asked suddenly, crossing her arms in front of her chest and jutted out her jaw.

"Lost, insulted and I became a thief with no morals, believe me, that is a part you don't want to know."

"You stole these clothes?" her sister asked, looking downright horrified.

"No, the clothes are practically the only thing I didn't steal."

"I take it back, you're nothing like Kikyō…" Inuyasha muttered and Kagome sighed.

"Who is Kikyō?" Chiharu demanded, his outer Haori still draped over her arm. "And when have you been home?"

"I've been home at least two times." Her older sister answered. "When I realised you hadn't come home either, I and Inuyasha tried looking for you."

"I see?"

"It didn't go well." Kagome shrugged. "There are so many who covet the Shikon-No-Tama, and well, I might have broken it…"

Inuyasha made a rude gesture behind her back and Chiharu nodded, her lips pulling into a smile. It started to rain and the three of them slowly started back to the village of Edo (Inuyasha muttered something about digging Lady Kaede up) and Kagome wanted to know Chiharu's story before they went back to their own time. The fact that it was late, dark and probably difficult to navigate through a forest at that time was left unspoken.

 _To be continued..._

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 **A/N: next chapter will be published next Thursday or Friday. Please comment! I love them so much! They make my day!**


	4. Chapter 3, between two brothers

**So many reviews they made me so happy. Her is the next chapter. Enjoy! A slight change in spelling of names. Apparently I didn't use the right one.**

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 **Chapter Three, Between two brothers**

' _Even when I'm sick and depressed, I love life.' — Arthur Rubenstein_

"— **S** o then I followed the direction he gave me and your boyfriend—"

"For the umpteenth time he is not my boyfriend." Kagome Higurashi grounded out and Chiharu rolled her eyes theatrically.

"Whatever," she muttered, "anyway, that's when Inuyasha jumped down from a tree and almost flattened me to the forest floor. Did you know he couldn't see the hairs, in fact not those silly stones you have around your neck either?"

"They're the shards of the Shikin-No-Tama," Kagome told her importantly. "Kaede-baba says I'm the keeper and it is my duty to restore it to its normal size."

Inuyasha groaned from the mat near the entrance of the hut. Being at least part-demon he regenerated and he did so really fast. Yet, being stabbed with a sword took some time to heal from. Kagome fiddled with her school-skirt and readjusted her knees on the wooden floorboard.

"When I came here I ran into Inuyasha." Kagome softly explained. "I soon learned you must have followed me. There was the Shibugarasu, inhabiting the form of a human. And I mean that literally, it had made a nest in the chest cavity were the heart should be. That's when I accidentally broke the jewel."

"You told me that." Chiharu nodded. "What happened after that? You've found at least a few jewel shards."

"Yes," she nodded. "I can sense them. So while trying to find you, Inuyasha is good at tracking people—"

"—Which would have gone a lot better if I actually knew who I was tracking," the Hanyō muttered from his place on the mat, "but of course you did not know and—"

"All right," Chiharu interrupted hastily, "so you tried to find me by literally tracking me down. And then you ran into more trouble. Yes, please continue."

"All right, so then we travelled north. And then we met Nobunaga, he said he wasn't Oda Nobunaga, but he was certainly just as much as the fool he was before the battle of Okehazama and—"

"Onee-chan you're babbling."

"Yes, well, we helped him save a prince and then there was this large fish Yōkai and the Bear Yōkai who held a Shikon-No-Tama shard. And then we came back, had a fight and when I came back — I went home you see — you were there."

"Fuck's sake, the wench couldn't have summarised it before, could she?" Inuyasha complained loudly.

"That's it you childish, little—"

Chiharu wanted to go home, curl in her nice warm bed and forget everything about Shikon-No-Tama shards hunting. She wanted to hug her mother, smile at her silly grandfather and lock herself up at home for the next five days. She couldn't of course. Her sister insisted on staying and helping her not-so-official-boyfriend hunt down silly shards. Inuyasha groaned and rolled on his side, ignoring Kagome's ranting.

"Are you really all right, Inuyasha?"

"I'm fine wench, like I said before, I heal fast." Came Inuyasha gruffly reply.

Kagome's face turned red and she pursed her lips together. Chiharu knew that look. She was trying to keep her temper under control.

Pursing her lips Chiharu glanced outside at the unexpected rain fall that had halted her descend through the bone-eaters-well (and the time). The fresh scent, of wet leaves and grass, wafted in through the entrance to the hut and Kaede-baba shifted in her sleep. After being attacked by one of Yura's marionette's, Inuyasha had buried her till her neck somewhere in the forest (to _protect_ her) and it had taken its toll on her.

Kaede-baba, or Lady Kaede was the elderly Miko of the village. She was of average height for woman this time period, had long grey hair and wore an eyepatch over her right eye. To help her, Chiharu had stitched the wound just below her midriff and tried to get her to take some medicine Kagome carried into her large rucksack, but the old lady refused the latter.

"Kagome Oneechan?"

"Hm?"

"Perhaps we should all try to sleep," Chiharu asked and her older sister nodded wistfully. With a large yawn she unrolled the burrowed tatami mat and wrapped her arms tightly around her midriff for warmth before closing her eyes. Somewhere along the night, Inuyasha had covered her with his outer Hatori again and she slept dreamlessly for several hours.

When she awoke again, groggy but essentially refreshed enough she was alone in the hut. It was still dark outside and with a frown, Chiharu slung Inuyasha's outer Hatori around her and slowly stepped outside. The wind had turned and it was unusually dark outside. She gasped when she felt a hostile aura press against her and she tried to think what she was supposed to do and she slowly crossed the clearing.

Lady Kaede, still pale and tired, was directing the villagers inside of the wooden huts as the trees in the distance moved violently.

"What's going on?"

Lady Kaede turned around. "Yōkai attack it moved further into the woods, but yeh can't take the risk. I would be wise to go inside."

"No, I mean, where are Kagome-Oneechan and Inuyasha?"

"They went after it."

Chiharu wondered when her sister had lost her mind. She must have if they went after every aura that dawned on them. There was no Shikon-No-Tama shard in the vicinity, except for the one dancing less than a mile away, and she knew that was the one around Kagome's neck. As long as it wasn't endangering people, you avoided aura's like the one over there. And then it was gone. Chiharu furrowed her eyebrows and blew a strand of hair out of her face.

"I'll get my bow and arrows." She muttered.

Lady Kaede didn't say anything, just smiled and Chiharu was impressed. The woman had been hurt only hours ago, yet she was already on her legs and moving. Chiharu could learn a thing or two about that. Swinging her quiver with arrows over her shoulder and hung her bow over her other.

The moon stood high on the zenith; pale light filtering in through the thick canopy of leaves, scattering down on the forest floor. She moved quickly, branches and leaves jostling as she ran through her. Her feet slammed hard onto the hard forest floor and she peered around. The dark aura was slowly coming closer, with every step she took.

She jumped over a fallen tree, almost tripping over her own feet, when suddenly a small green kappa appeared in her sight.

"Jaken?" She hadn't expected to ever see him again.

"You!"

He hadn't expected to ever see her again either. Chiharu adjusted Inuyasha's Hatori over her arm and cocked her head. "Yes, me. So good to see you again." She retorted dryly.

"What are you doing here?"

"Investigating," she answered simply.

"Well, do that somewhere else, milord and I have business to attend to." The imp snarled and Chiharu felt a muscle in her cheek pop.

"Yes, it was so nice to see you again, Jaken. Do take care all right, all right?" She retorted sarcastically, while pushing through dark green bushes and nervously fiddled with the long sleeve as she resumed following the heavy aura. It had suddenly become darker, the light of the moon disappearing and she nervously ran her fingers through her dark hair. In the distance she could just make out dark shapes and she squinted her eyes. She had neared a clearing.

Kagome was laying on her side, near the chore of a small pond and a large bulky Yōkai, with the built and height of a flat, stuck out above the trees. Chiharu stood rooted to the spot, peering through the dappled gaps in the evergreen leaf cover of a bush. Almost all light had disappeared in an instant, and a strange silence pressed down onto them. Chiharu touched her hand to one ear, in case it was blocked by something physical. She suspected it had something to do with the strange heavy Youki that seemed the strongest here.

Shaking her head, she crossed the clearing, trying to remain in the shadows of the trees and her eyes widened when she watched a beautiful woman, with long sleek dark hair, literally trying to absorb the almost comatose Hanyō Inuyasha.

"Holy shit," Chiharu mumbled before readying an arrow on her bow, squeezing one eye shut and aimed at the lady's head — obviously a Yōkai of some sorts.

The arrow fizzled, cutting through the air, before lodging deeply into the shoulder of the female Yōkai. Inuyasha fell to the forest floor with a groan. The silence pressing down onto her was lifted and a weight on her chest, she hadn't recognised before, had been lifted and allowed her to breathe the way that she used to.

"What was that?" Chiharu gasped, quickly pulling her sister up into a sitting position. "Are you okay?"

 **I-I. ⌡. Γ┐**

Sesshomaru watched his underling steer the boat over the water towards the Mu-onna. The idea to use a cursed spirit had been a welcome diversion for his idiot of a half-brother. The boy was stubborn, he could give him that, and would have refused to tell him anything he wanted to know. His lips curled into a sneer.

'A mother's touch did wonders.'

As Jaken stepped out of the boat and onto the shore, reprimanding the Mu-onna for not doing her job, suddenly an arrow sliced through the air, brimming with holy power. It lodged deeply into the shoulder of the cursed spirit and she started to designate, dropping Inuyasha to the forest-floor. His eyes widened, gaze lingering for a moment on the fallen girl, still unable to move to the edge of the clearing.

A Miko, small and slender moved quickly towards the inadequately dressed girl and slowly propped her up to a sitting position.

His Youki flashed and Sesshomaru grounded his jaws together in anger and suddenly appeared behind the girl pulling her up to her feet. She was small, barely even reaching average height for humans and two-coloured eyes suddenly were on his. He recognised her immediately.

"You…"

"Let her go, you bastard!" Inuyasha snapped, pushing the fussing girl, who he realised shared a lot psychical traits with the one he was holding up by her collar, aside and jumped to unsteady feet.

Sesshomaru jostled the human a bit, sniffing her delicately and sought his brother's gaze out. "She belongs to you, I should have known."

"I don't _belong_ to him," the girl muttered, feet trampling to the forest-floor, probably hoping to find even ground to stand on.

"Don't you?" He asked, his smirk broadening. It would be just like his brother to string two women along. He sneered. One human of Holy power, who as far as he deigned to listen, where quite boring and one who looked like a poorly payed courtesan.

His brother suddenly charged at him, yet like always he was to slow and Sesshomaru sidestepped him before taking to the air. The girl yelped, her grip on his wrist tightened. The other girl yelled to his brother and a moment later Inuyasha hopped onto a tree branch and went after him. With claws at the ready, Inuyasha clumsily charged at him and Sesshomaru used the Hanyō's momentum to plunge the fingers of his left hand into the socket of Inuyasha's right eye before sending him back to the forest floor. The boy slammed to the ground, sending a plume of dry mud skywards and didn't move for a moment.

He glanced at the black pearl, coated in blood, between his thump and index finger. Finally he found the entrance to his father's tomb. No wonder he hadn't been able to find it. Inuyasha himself probably had no idea he had it with him all this time.

The girl gasped, looking up at him with wide eyes and he wondered. She had served her use, dropping her would be easier than dragging her along, yet— His brother got up to his feet and growled at him. Perhaps she was of some use.

"Chich-ue certainly hid the tomb in a strange place," he whispered as Inuyasha moaned, pressing his hand against the heavily bleeding eye.

"You bastard!"

He made a move to come at him again, but Sesshomaru wasn't in the mood to entertain the foolish boy again and pressed his claws lightly against the girl's neck. "Uh, uh," he started, watching the younger boy's eyes flash, "your female won't like what I'll do, if you waste my time any further."

"Inuyasha!"

"Keh," Inuyasha snarled. "She isn't my female, I do not care if you would hurt her."

"Don't you?" The Yōkai-Lord whispered, making a show of sniffing at the girl. His scent was heavily clinging to her. "Than tell me little brother, why is your stench all over her?"

The girl stiffened when his breath fell onto her. She was staring at his brother's heavily bleeding eye and looked disgusted, her face tinting green. Humans were so easy to read. He sometimes wondered if they truly did not realise how much power they allowed others to have over them, by such blatant emotions. She was afraid, at least she was smart enough to fear him, her heartbeat no longer regular and her scent heightened with the heavy emotion.

"Sesshomaru-sama!" Jaken, the Kappa appeared out of the tall grass. "I have retrieved the Nintoujou," he continued, showing the tall staff to his master.

"Lose it again and I'll kill you."

He stepped forward, dropped the pearl to the forest floor and grabbed the staff out of Jaken's claw. When the pearl was smashed under the staff there was a small moment of silence. Enough for him to wonder if this again was not the right location, but then the face of the old man cackled and Sesshomaru felt a rare smile tug at his lips. The girl squirmed when a darkish light appeared, sucking them down through the grass. A wind sucking from a depth, he Sesshomaru was unfamiliar with, they were suddenly falling. The girl squeaked, dull human nails digging into his wrist and with a sigh he readjusted her, wrapping an arm around her middle.

It did little to ease her fast beating heart, but he didn't care. He passed the large skeletal birds, moving along the semblance of a light blue sky, and landed in the large remains of his great father. Tetsusaiga was there. He dropped the girl and hurried to his legacy. Finally.

"All of this, for that? For a Katana?" the girl asked, pressed against the other side of the carcass. Jaken's bulbous eyes glared at the child and back at the sword.

"That's not just a Katana," Jaken told her importantly, waving his clawed finger importantly. "That is the sword forged from Sesshomaru-sama's father's fang."

"I see,"

Sesshomaru grabbed the handle of the sword. He was repelled almost instantly. "A Kekkai, figures, there's a Kekkai on it."

The girl mumbled something, but he was no longer paying attention. The beginning of anger started flooding through his veins.

"Sesshomaru!"

Inuyasha dropped down from one of the ribs, claws at the ready and Sesshomaru smirked. Not Sesshomaru and not Inuyasha was capable of drawing their Father's fang and with that, Inuyasha stopped serving a purpose. They fought like they had done so many times. Inuyasha lacked speed, strategy and precision. He didn't land a hit and Sesshomaru easily overpowered him. He was about to finally dispose of the shame on the family tree that was his Hanyō brother when the scaredy dressed girl suddenly drew the Tetsusaiga.

His hand tensed above Inuyasha's neck and the girl paled. The Miko girl was at her sister's side the next moment and the girl hid behind her, pushing the sword into her unresisting hands. For the first time in years he was unsure of how to proceed.

Both girls ran when he appeared in front of them and Inuyasha fought even harder. He slammed Inuyasha into his father's sternum before crashing him down against the floor. Sesshomaru's eyes flitted around the carcass, landing on the fidgeting Miko. She seemed to notice his gaze, adequately deducting he would come for the sword again and in a pure fit of panic, she slung it through the air — 'Fetch boy!' — before going the other way.

"Keh, it looks like a piece of junk."

"Who cares?" the girl yelled, knuckles turning white around the bow she was carrying. "Why not using it to get out of here?"

She met his annoyed gaze and her face paled. It appeared that being afraid and having common sense were not in direct correlation with each other. Slowly, ever so slowly, she pulled an arrow free — her last one — and held it close to her bow. Would she really be stupid enough to shoot it at him?

The girl's heartbeat picked up its pace, hammering against her ribcage and her breath hitched when he moved to her. She drew her bow tight and released the arrow. He didn't even bother to dodge it, instead he caught it in mid-air in his left hand and snapped it in two.

"Great idea!" the Miko gasped, hysterically wringing her hands together as she moved farther away from him. "He just caught the arrow in mid-air, thank you Kagome-neechan. Great idea!"

Typically human nature. It was always someone else's fault.

"Leave her alone!" Inuyasha yelled, moving faster than Sesshomaru had expected and suddenly the boy's claw crushed the armour covering Sesshomaru's left shoulder. The sword remained useless. It just bounced off against Sesshomaru's right arm, and the older Yōkai sneered.

"Tetsusaiga," he whispered, his right hand curling into a fist. It should be his. It should be his because of his blood and of course he was the eldest son. He was the Heir to all of his lands to rule. Inuyasha didn't have to do a thing. "Give it to me, Inuyasha."

"Like hell, you bastard, you cannot even touch it!"

He grimaced, his eyes flitting to the girl again. His brother had moved a lot faster when he was about to approach her again. The Hanyō's scent was all over her. He smirked, twisted around and appeared in front of her. The girl yelped, tried to turn away, heart thudding loudly, before holding her bow up as a shield. He had seen enough of that bow and with a careless flick of his wrist slapped it out of her hand, snapping it in two. She looked terrified when he twirled her around pressing her back against his front and dug his left hand into her hair, baring the column of her neck where it met her shoulder to his angry gaze.

"Last chance, little brother."

"You wouldn't!" Inuyasha hissed angrily. The look-a-like was gazing at the Hanyō with horror.

He wasn't even realising he was bargaining with her life. The girl's reiki desperately pressed against him. She was obviously new to it. It wasn't hostile against him. He doubted she was used to any level of hostility and she squirmed in his hold. It amused him more than it should when he exhaled, his breath ghosting over her neck, and she whimpered.

"Inuyasha-Sama!" Myoga the flea cried. The beginnings of doubt spread over the boy's face, but he shook his head in determination.

"He won't," he muttered under his breath. "She's human."

"This one wants the sword." The Daiyōkai whispered, not caring if this waif of a girl was human or not. She would suffer for his brother's mistakes. He always had a back-up plan. Even in the spur of the moment.

"Well, you can't get it, you bastard!" Inuyasha cried, again charging at his older brother. Sesshomaru snorted took to the air again and landed onto one of the ribs. He chuckled when the Hanyō slammed into the carcass-filled floor. He slowly looked up into his eyes. Sesshomaru could see it there. He was not going to give the sword up.

"Your choice…" he muttered, before yanking at her hair, baring even more from her neck. The girl's scream died in her throat as his fangs sank into the pale unyielding flesh of her throat. She trashed against his form, his left arm winding around her waist, keeping her from falling. Her breathing laboured and the hand on his wrist relaxed its grip. The Hanyō cursed foully, eyes wide and mouth opened in a horrified gasp.

When he dropped her, he smirked. "You will give me the Tetsusaiga, little brother, one way or the other."

The girl twitched, feet trembling aimlessly as Youki washed over her. She would suffer. One of them was going to break. He just had to abide his time and in a flash he was gone.

 _To be continued…_

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 **A/N: And this is partly out of Sesshomaru's view. Hopeful it became a lot clearer this way. I hope you'd all enjoyed this chapter and like always, let me know what you think! Reviews are the fuel to my motor^^**

 **Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi**


	5. Chapter 4, Lady Kaede

**A/N: Thank you so much for all of your lovely reviews. Like always they made me so extremely happy. Thank you to AnuBis25 who nicely pointed out that my spelling of Haori. It was indeed wrong, a bit silly of me. And I do indeed agree with the assessment that Sesshomaru is an arsehole. He was one at the beginning of either the manga and the series, and I'm not going to sugarcoat it. He hurts, kills and pushes whatever or whomever to get what he wants.**

 **Chiharu's life doesn't mean a thing to him. At most he finds her annoying. Anyway, enjoy this new chapter and leave a comment. Your thoughts and support are the best gasoline ever^^**

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 **o.O.o**

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 **Chapter Four, Lady Kaede**

' _Even when I'm sick and depressed, I love life.' — Arthur Rubenstein_

 **S** lowly, she opened her tired eyes to look around her. The dark haze slowly lifted from her vision and with that she became aware of a searing pain that engulfed her body. Every part ached and even breathing seemed to be a problem.

 _His face seemed amused, and then he twisted around, appearing in front of her. Chiharu yelped, her heart thudded, her mouth sandpaper-dry and her mind a choppy sea of fears. Sesshomaru slapped the bow out of her hand, snapping it in two as well. She was terrified when he twirled her around pressing her back against his front and dug his left hand into her hair, craning her neck painfully. "Last chance, little brother."_

" _You wouldn't!" Inuyasha hissed with certainty._

From somewhere close she noticed the sound of water dripping, splashing onto a wooden floorboard creating a strange hollow sound. Eyes burning with tears, she inhaled sharply, ignoring another wave of pain searing through her limbs. The scent of wet earth met her nostrils and she slowly turned her head to the right.

" _Your choice…" he muttered, before yanking at her hair, baring even more from her neck. Chiharu's scream died in her throat as his fangs sank into the pale unyielding flesh of her throat. She trashed against his form, his left arm winding around her waist, keeping her from falling. Her breathing laboured and her eyes rolled back into her head. She heard someone scream and the Hanyō cursed foully._

 _Her neck started to feel numb and her heartbeat had ceased its rapid rhythm. If anything it started to slow down and Chiharu tried to keep her eyes open, even if it was just a little. She could faintly feel the steady beat of Sesshomaru's heart (if her head had been any clearer she would have been surprised he even had one)._

" _Stop!" she whispered weakly, only half aware that the air whisked past her. "P-please stop! You're going to… kill me!" He disengaged his fangs and loosened his hand onto her hair._

"Careful child," a woman whispered. Her voice was unfamiliar, but her face was not.

"Kaede-baasan?"

"Yes," she whispered stroking her fingers gently through Chiharu's hair. "It's me. Do you remember what happened?"

Chiharu squinted her eyes in thought. She was with Kagome, following after her strange dog-demon friend. She didn't really understand their relationship and then— the crease between her eyebrows deepened— then nothing.

"I don't know." She whispered softly, unsure what the loose fragments of her memory meant. "Did I get hit? Was there another attack?"

"Yes," Lady Kaede whispered. "But not on the village…"

Chiharu wetted her lips, before lifting her hand to her neck. Her memory failed her again when she tried to think about what had happened. Flashes of the silver-haired man she'd met, just before she ran into Inuyasha, didn't make much sense. It was burning and it was annoying. A bandage was wrapped around it and she frowned. "What happened here?" she asked softly, starting to panic when she noticed someone's feet crunching the leaves outside. "My ears." She whimpered.

"She's not doing well," another voice said, male, also outside.

"She's awake?"

"Yes," the male voice said slowly, and the footsteps neared.

The mat in front of the door moved away and Chiharu's eyes widened when her sister entered the hut.

"Kagome-neechan?" she mumbled, before her older sister crouched down beside her and hugged Chiharu's aching body to her chest. She couldn't help the grimace as pain shot through her.

"I'm sorry." Kagome whispered before slowly laying her back. Chiharu smiled watery at her older sister and tried to slowly sit up.

"You shouldn't," Kagome muttered.

Lady Kaede pressed a hand to Chiharu's forehead and shook her head. "Yeh burning up, my child."

"You look horrible." Inuyasha told her bluntly and Chiharu chuckled, completely ignoring Kagome's annoyed look at the comment.

"Then I look the way I feel." Chiharu told him and Kagome glared at her friend angrily.

"Inuyasha…" she hissed threateningly and Inuyasha's ears flattened against his skull.

"It's fine, Nee-chan." Chiharu whispered. "Please tell me you have acetaminophen!"

"Oh, yes, I do." She whispered. "We should go home…"

"No,"

"What?" Kagome whispered, her eyebrows knitting together. "What do you mean; 'no'?"

"Mum will freak, and grandad will forbid us to return." Chiharu whispered, easily understanding that what ever happened was bad. No worse than bad. Those grim faces did not bode well for her. Why else would they not just tell her what had happened? "Don't deny it. He will. I'm not a doctor, but even I know that I'm doing far from good. What if the doctors can't do anything?"

"But what if they can?" Kagome countered stubbornly, crossing her arms over her chest.

Chiharu chuckled lowly, before shaking her head. "Can someone explain to me what happened? That makes deciding on our next step of action much easier."

"What do you remember?" Kagome asked unscrewing a water-bottle and offered her the earlier requested painkillers. Chiharu pursed her lips against the taste, but swiftly swallowed them down.

"What I remember," she mused softly before batting the hands that tried to help her sit up away, and leant her back against the hard wooden wall. "We were filling you in about the fight with Yura, tending to Inuyasaha's wound, when Sesshomaru-Sama came…"

"He would love to hear you use his honorific." Inuyasha hissed, stamping further into the hut and sitting down cross-legged, next to Kagome. Chiharu absentmindedly plucked her fingers at the gauge around her neck, unaware of the stares of sympathy she got.

"How did I get this?" she asked, reiki pressing against something intruding. Something from within, that shouldn't be there. Her body shuddered and the hairs on her arms and legs stood on edge. Almost tearful Kagome clasped her hands together and looked at the Hanyō, who was uncharacteristically silent.

"He— he came after you when he thought you were— erm— my female…" Inuyasha explained awkwardly.

Chiharu never felt more stupid in her life. They all seemed to understand that sentence, while it made absolutely no sense to her. Sensing her complete lack of understanding, or simply correctly interpreting the clueless look on her face, Inuyasha pointed at his fangs. A heavy sense of understanding settled into her stomach.

"He _bit_ me?"

"I'm sorry Chiharu… We… We didn't know what we were supposed to do." Kagome apologised as she made fists on her knees and bit her lower-lip to keep from breaking down into tears. "You got some kind of seizure, so we brought you here… and—"

"Why?"

"Why we brought you here?" Inuyasha asked, an imperious eyebrow raised, resembling his brother in an uncanny way.

"No, why did he _bite_ me?" Chiharu stressed. "What— the consequences… What are the consequences of a Yōkai biting you? Obviously there are consequences."

"Biting on it self doesn't have consequences, Chiharu-sama." Myoga suddenly piped up. "It's the Youki that has."

"You-ki?" she whispered, straining in terror at the implications of the words. She wasn't completely stupid. Youki was a dead opposite of her reiki. She couldn't imagine it was going to mix well. It was probably why she felt like her body was being destroyed from the inside out.

"She's going to freak." Kagome muttered matter-of-factly. "I mean it, she's going to freak."

"I know I would," Inuyasha supplied not-so-helpfully.

"Child, you are lucky to be alive." Kade spoke in a heavy sigh of fact, her one good eye centered on Chiharu's neck. "If your powers had been any more trained then the Youki would have immediately killed you from the inside out."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" Chiharu whispered, the level of panic spiking into her blood.

"We need to get her body-heat down." Kaede said, obviously used to deal with sick people and Chiharu was unceremoniously hoisted over Inuyasha's shoulder. "If she gets sick on you like that, than yeh only have yehself to blame." The older priestess warned and the Hanyō grumbled, pulling Chiharu snugly against his chest and stepped outside.

"Where are we going?"

"The river." Kaede answered stiffly and Chiharu knew immediately how they were going to attempt to lower her body temperature. As long as they were not going to bleed her out like they did several places in the world at the sixteenth century than she wouldn't mind.

Kagome trudged after them, her jaw jutted in that stubborn way of hers and her arms crossed over her chest. "I still think we should take her home."

"You idiot!" Inuyasha snarled, his arms tightening around Chiharu's limb body. "Even _your_ grandfather would sense the hostile youki radiating from her. It wouldn't end well."

"But she needs her family!" Kagome said and Chiharu felt her heart constrict painfully. Did her sister really think she didn't want to curl onto her mother's lap and cry? "And it's not like you helped."

"I tried!" Inuyasha snapped back before sitting her down onto the riverbank. Chiharu absentmindedly stirred the water surface with her fingers.

"I'm nog going naked," she suddenly told them, interrupting the arguing couple. She was too tired to focus on their pointless arguments and truly didn't want to know how Inuyasha had tried to help her — after all it hand't worked, so what difference did it make?

Kaede held her head, as Inuyasha (softly complaining to himself) lowered her into the water. Kagome rubbed her hands together and stared at her younger sibling.

"Kagome-neechan?"

"Yes?" she whispered, trying to smile reassuringly, but failing miserably.

"Can you get me my pyjama from home?" Chiharu asked, just needing an excuse to make her sister leave. She wanted to weep, but not when Kagome was around. The girl had the knack to blame herself for everything that went wrong.

"Sure," Kagome muttered, quickly getting to her feet. She seemed to be just as happy to leave as Chiharu was to see her go. As she watched her sister go, she started to shiver. The cold water prickling her skin. It was no longer pleasant.

"All right, can you get her out, Inuyasha?" Kaede asked.

Inuyasha nodded slowly, before hoisting her up on her feet. Chiharu moaned and trembled uncontrollably, just as she was pulled out of the water. Water which was so cold that her heart had nearly frozen. The boy tightened his hold on her and placed her on the shore.

"All right, sweetheart," Kaede whispered, sliding an arm around Chaharu's back and lifted her. "Try and drink this." She continued, pressing a cup with a green liquid into her hands.

"It hurt so much!" she whimpered, opening her eyes, which contained to her surprise and shame tears. They fell down her cheeks and she hiccuped pathetically. Kaede slid a hand under the back of Chiharu's head to lift her into an upright position, rubbing her back comfortingly.

Chiharu's breathing turned laboured and her soft hiccups turned into sobs, while hot tears ran down her face. Kaede made sympathetic sounds and put the drink down onto the forest-floor, while mopping Chiharu's face with a piece of linnen.

"It's okay," she coed softly and Chiharu struggled to hold back more tears, pressing her lips together to choke the sobs down that still shook her chest. "It's all right to cry."

"It hurts so much." She mumbled and sniffled into the older woman's collar. Chiharu felt Kaede gather her hair into her hands, rubbing it dry. Then, starting with the last few inches of her thick hair, she began to tease out the knots, brushing a comb through it with practiced ease. Kaede hummed softly, before pulling it up in a thick, damp ponytail and tied it together with a ribbon.

"Your hair reminds me a bit of that of my late sister's."

"Really?" she mumbled, not really caring.

"She looks less like Kikyo than Kagome…" Inuyasha muttered, and Chiharu was unsure if she should have heard that.

"Can you stand?" he asked suddenly and Chiharu blinked away the teardrops before nodding determinedly.

"Yes," she mumbled. He gave her a hand and pulled her to her feet. Chiharu swallowed the pained groan and the aching heat that travelled through her arms and legs made her fingers tingle. She had to bite down onto her cheek so hard she tasted blood, but she actually managed to walk herself back to the village. She didn't doubt for a second she was going to die. The gloom expressions she saw on the others' faces only confirmed that.

 **I-I. ⌡. Γ┐**

Hours had turned into days and days turned into a week. Chiharu lived. She sat by the fire with a bottle of cold water. The wind blew in gusts against the windows and the flames threw strange shadows round the dimly lit room. Her body was still aching, but at least it was manageable now (she was getting used to it, the way you could get used to a stomach ache when you were distracted). Still, she wasn't doing well by any means.

A cat came into the room and wound itself around her feet, purring softly. Chiharu smiled slightly and slowly bent down to scratch it behind its fluffy ears. She slowly, silently lifted the cat up onto her lap and listened to the wind howl outside.

She heard Kaede before she saw her. The old woman was carrying a pot of tea, the strong fragrance of turmeric tea met her before the woman even entered the hut. Chiharu grimaced, she didn't like the poignant smell or the taste of it.

"I'm going to die, am I not?" she whispered softly, as the old Miko entered. She hadn't been able to keep anything down and therefore had lost a lot of weight, making her look fragile and sickly.

"Kagome-chan is getting medical supplies from your home." The old woman evaded softly. That somehow made it worse. How everyone tried to placate her with empty promises. Kagome had brought several different kind of medicines back. From acetaminophen to morphine (which you needed a prescription for, so how Kagome got that, she had no idea).

"Won't do me any good," Chiharu mumbled tiredly. She had refused to go home and almost had to threaten her sister from telling their mother and grandfather what had happened. Chiharu didn't think they would let Kagome return to where she was needed if they understood their youngest (grand)daughter was dying. So as far as they were concerned she was still missing.

"How are they faring with the Shikon-no-tama?"

Kaede smiled before sitting down in front of her. "They found two more shards in the last two weeks." She explained.

"That's good." She whispered.

Chiharu exhaled softly, before glancing at her reflection in the mirror. Biting down onto her lower-lip she slowly pulled the collar of her Haori aside and glanced at the faded pink scar in the shape of the Daiyōkai's teeth marks. It had healed quite nicely, although still somewhat red and angry, yet it was still sore and felt sensitive to the touch. The constant pain was somewhat manageable. The painkillers from her time made sure she could function, but didn't do anything for her appetite.

She slumped back against the futon and curled her fingers. She wanted to take a walk outside. Lady Kaede pushed a dark lock of hair behind Chiharu's ear and the old lady left the hut. Chiharu slowly scrambled to her feet. Her footing was steadier than it had been before and she gratefully walked outside. A strange burning sensation curled from the bandaged mark down her spine, as if something, or someone was beckoning her. She ignored it.

Chiharu carefully wound around the villagers. Most of them shot her worried glances. She ignored it. It felt good being outside. The initial reaction to wound a thick scarf around her face against the several scents and senses assaulting her had lessened. She still jumped when a football hit the ground or a bird chirped loudly or any other sound _suddenly_ pierced the air, but at least she could give them a place. She understood what the sounds were, although the knowledge that half of the time she shouldn't have been able to hear them, made her feel wary.

Wisps of smoke were rising from one of the fires and she sniffed carefully, putting the dark smell away, categorising it in her mind. Sengoku period wasn't a clean area. Although the sky was probably much less polluted, personal hygiene was at its lowest. She didn't like the smell of mankind much.

"Kaede-Sama?"

The old Miko turned slowly to her, eyebrows risen and head cocked to the side. "Chiharu-chan, how can I help you?"

"I was wondering, could you help me with my archery?" She asked slowly. "I know the basics, but I could really do with the help."

"Of course," She conceded and Chiharu smiled. The first real smile since she woke up in pain and spent the rest of day accompanying the older woman doing her rounds through the village. She hadn't lied when she'd told Miko Kaede about knowing the basics of the healing properties of several plants and she listened interestedly as the older woman explained about the abilities and properties of several berries, leaves and roots.

When rounds were finished, Lady Kaede led the young girl out to a clearing. Chiharu closed her eyes. There was a waterfall nearby, pouring down into a strong river. They were far enough away from the villagers for the human stench to be lessened, but close enough she could still hear them busying about. She took the old worn bow offered to her and Lady Kaede smiled.

"This was my first bow when I reached adult hood." She explained evenly, her one good eye glazing over as if remembering. "You know the basic stance?"

Chiharu nodded, traced her fingers over the strong and surprisingly smooth wood and carefully drew the string back and found it made drawing back easy. Years ago she'd once accompanied her grandfather to a Traditional Archery store and there she'd traced wooden patterns on a delicate historic bow. It felt somewhat the same. The older woman nodded approvingly before taking one arrow out of her quiver and showed it to her.

"There are many different arrows. The ones we use have a armor piercing bodkin. These work for Yōkai too. Many of us use an armguard, to protect the forearm from the string of the bow as it is released. Considering you're age and skill level, I'd recommend it."

Chiharu nodded, tapping her fingers against the leather protection strapped to her forearm.

"When you notch an arrow you should feel the string."

"What?"

"Draw the string back, notch the arrow on the nocking point, the leather strap in the middle of your string and keep the bow close to your body. Lean your thump against your cheek, yes just like that." The older woman nodded. "My sister used to support the arrow, as well as give it direction, by pointing her index finger at the target."

Chiharu followed the directions. Aiming at one of the trees, she let the fingers of her right hand trace the turkey feathers and waited. Lady Kaede corrected the pose, pushing her elbow more in line with her arm and circled the young girl. "All right, exhale softly and release the arrow. Make sure to push your fingers out of the way of the bowstring, when you let it leave your fingers."

She did. The arrow lodged itself in the tree, two meters above the intended target (a notch in the tree bark), but at least she didn't miss the tree.

"Have you ever followed a course before?" Lady Kaede asked. "I know things are different from where you come from…"

"I did, when I was younger. My grandfather took me to a special archery shop and that's where I learned the basics. Everything else I know I learned through practicing."

"When you were on the run?"

"Yes,"

"It's not bad. Does need some honing though. Yeh should do fine with some practice."

Chiharu hoped so. She didn't want to rely on lucky shots the rest of the time she would have to stay here. Ignoring the tingles going up her arms, she notched another arrow. When the sun sunk below the horizon and darkness seeped over the land, Lady Kaede returned to the village.

The day was humid and stifling. Her lips parted in a quick breath and she started down the path to the Bone Eaters Well. Chiharu lowered the bow and refastened the quiver on her shoulder and sighed. She was exhausted, tired and her body was hurting. She sat down on the lid of the well and watched down in the deep recesses quietly.

It was sudden. The mark on her neck burned and her breath hitched. She grabbed at the lid of the well with one hand and her bow with the other. It tingled with the sudden, inexplicable urge to follow the pull it gave. A prickle traced down her spine and she gasped. Gripping at the bow until her knuckles turned white. Every muscle in her body suddenly screamed murder and she forced herself walk on until she could slide back against the rough bark of a tree. Tendrils of youki extended outwards from her skin and she pressed her head between her quivering knees. She ignored the dark hostile tingle brushing against her, like a finger trailing down her spine and waited until it passed. She shut her eyes and shivered.

"Honestly, what do you want from me?" She whispered softly, blinking against the shameful burning of tears.

Her hand carefully clasped around the prickling bite on her neck. If she only knew what it meant…

 _To be continued…_

* * *

 **A/N: Although the problems Chiharu has and will have with the mark are important, I will speed through it a bit, because I do think it will get a bit boring. This chapter covers two or so weeks. Anyway, next chapter will be released next Thursday^^ Stay tuned.**

 **I do have a bow. It was a present from my aunt and uncle many years back, yet I have no idea what qualities it might, or might not, have. Therefore the whole lot about archery is made up. I know some basics and that's it. Anyway I tried^^**

 **Let me know what you all think! I want**

 **Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi**


	6. Chapter 5 being a Miko

**A/N: Thank you for all the comments. Like always they are lovely! I will comment on all of them tomorrow (when I have the afternoon off from school and I don't have to worry about my actual homework, which of course I'm doing now— erm, perhaps not). Anyway enjoy the weekly chapter. It will venture a bit further in Chiharu's Miko training. I hope you'll like it! And of course let me know what you'll think!**

 **To answer the questions of one of my anonymous readers: Right now Sesshomaru still has two arms. The fight in the Inu-brothers tomb went a bit different than in cannon and I hope this chapter clears that a bit up (Inuyasha hasn't yet found his brother and in canon takes a long while before he really masters his sword). In his own unique way, Inuyasha feels guilty for hurting Chiharu (I think), but he'll never truly admit this.**

 **Furthermore the mark will be explained in further chapters. One of you thought it might be a thing that could lead her to the alpha (in a way it can). Consider me a avid supernatural book reader (and series watcher^^) and I do like the idea of it. Though the mark will be more than just that. It will be somewhat of a problem (the Harry Potter link works as well to describe it, but it won't be exactly the way it was with Harry Potter and Voldemort — I honestly hadn't even thought about the similarities).**

 **I think I should put an end to my rambling and get on with this chapter. Enjoy the next chapter!**

* * *

o.O.o

* * *

 **Chapter five, Being a Miko**

' _The scar meant that I was stronger than what had tried to hurt me.' — Anaïs Nin_

The muggy summer heat pressed in on them as they climbed the mountain. The sun beat down on their back with unrestrained brutality. Even Inuyasha, who rarely was affected by anything, felt tired and his long silver hair clung to his head in thermal blankets. Kagome's breath was laboured, her fingers stiffly wrapped around the straps of her large yellow backpack. She had been grumbling about the air conditioning of the mall near their school, whatever an air conditioning did Inuyasha had no idea.

White man bristling he rolled his shoulders, fingers constantly gripping around the handle of the Tetsusaiga, he peered at the mountain. Even with his callused feet, the hot sandy floor was blistering against his skin and the air felt like liquid fire, pressing against the insides of his lungs. The humidity encased them and he folded the sleeves of his Haori up his forearms.

"Inuyasha!"

Kagome Higurashi swatted at her damp hair and leant her hands heavily onto her knees. The back of her neck and back were damp with perspiration, she was panting.

"Please wait, just a minute."

"Feh," he muttered. He found human weaknesses annoying, to say the least. It had been the reason why he wanted to become a full-yōkai. To be finally ridden from all those annoying human-weaknesses. He inhaled deeply, but he still couldn't smell him.

Int he distance he heard the regular rasp of a blade on a stone as someone sharpened his sword. Inuyasha rolled his shoulders. The shuddery, tight noise made his sensitive ears twitch and he inhaled deeply. The warm fungus smell had risen up and he wondered why some stupid human would actually go and work on a sword in this weather.

The trees stood mute in the summer air and Inuyasha quickened his space, climbing even higher. The higher up the cooler it was. Even if the weather would be turning soon, he found his cheeks to be too hot from the sun to care. It had been two weeks since he'd last seen Sesshomaru. He had thought of at least a hundred ways to remove every limb from the Daiyōkai's body, the more painful the better, and he was slowly growing agitated.

Why couldn't Sesshomaru accept that he wasn't Tetsusaiga's master? His brother had always been a pain, but now. His thought went back to the girl back at Kaede's village. For some unknown reason she had pulled through and was now in constant pain and it was his fault.

He was rudely brought back to the present when Kagome suddenly smacked Miroku. The lecherous, leering Hōshi they'd met earlier that week, was cradling his reddened cheek. Knowing him he'd probably groped her bum or tried to rub himself against her and Kagome had to slap him. Again.

"Inuyasha!"

"What?" He snapped. Why did the wench had to whine every goddamned second? "What is it now?"

Her pink cheeks darkened considerably and she swore under her breath. The heat of the summer sun was difficult to ignore and he clamped his mouth shut when she gave him the 'I'm-going-to-sit-you' look. He inhaled deeply trying to catch a whiff of his brother's scent.

"How far do we have to travel?" Shippou the fox-yōkai asked. He was seated on Inuyasha's shoulder, carefully flattening his sandy hair and his eyes wide and innocent. He had started travelling with them, after the Thunder Brothers — who were no longer alive, thank you very much — had slain Shippou's parents.

"I don't know," Inuyasha answered honestly. "The Bastard has his aura hidden. His scent too."

"Why doing that, if he wants to negotiate anything?" Kagome asked, her fingers fisting around the jewel shards they had collected. While looking so annoyed it suddenly struck Inuyasha (once again) how much like Kikyō she looked. Kikyō and Inuyasha had met when she first started guarding the jewel fifty years ago, and Kagome was Kikyō's reincarnation. The original Miko had died fifty years ago and was the reason why he had been sealed to the Tree Of Ages. They only just met again after the Yōkai Urasue brought Kikyō back to life. She hadn't exactly been happy to see him, thinking he had betrayed her and Inuyasha ground his teeth together. The ever slippery Naraku had been responsible for that.

They were looking for that monster, as well for his loving older brother. That was why Miroku the Buddhist monk, who was cursed by that same Naraku to have a void in his hand that would eventually grow to encompass him in entirety (and to lecherously grope any woman they met), travelling with them.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome's had that slight ring to it and he felt his ears flatten against his skull.

"I don't know all right?" he answered tiredly. "My guess is that the longer he waits the worse your sister will be and the more likely we are to trait the Tetsusaiga for her."

"And we are doing just that, aren't we?" she asked curtly.

Miroku wisely kept his mouth shut. Inuyasha blew a lock of hair out of his face, his feet grinding against the rough sand and the sun beating down on his forehead.

"No, we find him and I'll kill him. Kill two birds or something like that."

"You couldn't kill him the last time." She snapped back.

"He left before I could do much of anything."

"Inuyasha!"

"Feh, we have to find him first anyway!" he snapped, finally having enough of their argument. "It doesn't matter what we want to do as long we haven't found him."

"Kagome-sama, he's right you know." Miroku mediated the situation and Inuyasha snorted rudely. Of course he was right. His brother hadn't turned into an arsehole over night. That was a process that had taken a lot longer. He ground his teeth together again. Myoga-jijii, before he had done a runner on them, had explained that there wasn't that much time either and he inhaled deeply once again. The girl, Chiharu Higurashi, who just like Kagome looked an awful lot like Kikyō. Her eyes were hard to mistaken though and she seemed almost forgiving and understanding. He had once or twice wondered if that old man bred understanding humans, but that made no sense. Humans bred animals to meet certain points, yet not themselves. He sighed again, the heat was insufferable.

"Inuyasha!"

"You wanted to find him!" Inuyasha snapped, finally drained from his patience.

"But you're not finding him." She angrily snarled back. "We have been running around for days on end. We haven't found Naraku and we haven't found you're brother either. I want to return to Kaede's village. I want to see my sister!"

He slowly peered at the sky. The sun was descending down the horizon and within several hours night would fall. They were too far away from Kaede's village and nor Miroku nor Kagome would take travelling through the night lightly. They'd reached the crest of the hill overlooking the sodden forest, leaves miserably weighted down by the heat.

"All right," he softly conceded. "We'll make camp near the river down the cliff. The Western lands are too big and Sesshomaru will come when he's ready to blackmail me."

"I hate your brother!" Kagome whispered darkly. Miroku had a long sash wrapped around his head. Trying to wield of the heat. Shippou was the only one who seemed unaffected by the heat, his fast metabolism and the yōkai blood protecting him.

"We find him." Inuyasha vowed, he felt Kagome's eyes burning into his back. "And when we do, I'll kill him!"

I-I. ⌡. Γ┐

Heat licked at her sunburned face and the young Miko tiredly paddled after the elderly Miko through the village. The sand ground smouldered and a heat fog blew up in the air. Even the birds were silenced, trying to find as much cool air and water as they could, nestling on the bank of the river and the grass hung limply in the sun. June and July at Sengoku jidai were two months of almost subtropical heat and shockingly humid afternoons.

"Now sum up what I've told yeh!"

Chiharu sighed, sweeping the rug of her hand against her forehead. Perspiration had accumulated on her forehead and the bridge of her nose gleamed in the sun. The heat had penetrated into the houses and the huts of Edo and the only place where Chiharu could cool off was in the river not far from the town's centre.

"Chiharu!"

"A Miko is only as strong as her meditation skills." She muttered, puffing against the heat and the tingles that refused to stay dormant. "I know, I know."

"Indeed," Kaede-baba nodded approvingly. For some reason the older woman thought she was a tad slow.

"Spiritual power can do an awful lot. From high-level mystical spells to immense purification as to create human-like Shikigami. Kikyō-Oneesama was very strong. She could do it all."

Chiharu nodded. She had been somewhat of a disappointment compared to Kaede-baba's older sister. Yet, it was difficult. Although meditating had indeed helped lessen the pains and the aches, she wasn't very good at controlling it. Every time when Kaede-baba spoke about concentrating on her inner-chi she just couldn't focus on it. Couldn't calm or influence it the way her emotions, panic, stress and fear, could. They settled onto a fallen log near the cliff.

"How did she learn?"

"Did ye read the scrolls?" Kaede asked imperiously.

"Yes," Chiharu nodded her head, "I did, but I didn't read anything about Shikigami…"

"Ye're not there yet." Kaede decided, "Ye Ki is still unstable."

"Probably won't turn stable anytime soon." Chiharu muttered, staring at the ragging river below.

"Ye don't concentrate enough."

She hissed in frustration. The moment she had decided she was well enough to train her Reiki, Kaede had decided Chiharu would not skive off in bed. She could have her painkillers, had to drink that awful smelling potion and was allowed to bath in the river, to work out the tangles and knots. And then the elderly miko would come by, barking her to move along, and Chiharu followed after her through her daily routine.

"I try," Chiharu sighed, stretching out her legs, toes peeking out from under the hem of her hakama. She was wearing Kaede's old Miko-garb while her own clothes dried on a rack next to Kaede's hut. Somewhere in the distance she heard the sound of hooves beating down against sandy forest floors and shouts of men. "It's just hard."

"Does it still burn?"

"Sometimes," she admitted, "I think he's calling me."

"And ye've been ignoring him…"

She snorted. Of course she had been ignoring him. Except from being afraid of him, the pain could still be excruciating. Overloading her senses to black out or worse have another seizure. She thought that the ease he employed with dealing with people said a lot about his character. That he was a deplorable man who would try and use her for his own wicked game. How he would go about it, she had no idea, but she didn't doubt he would try to use her to get the 'Steel Cleaving Fang', the Tetsusaiga.

Rubbing her fingers in soothing circles over the protruding hipbones, she kicked at a loose pebble. She watched it roll over the edge falling into the deep abscess, down the cliff and plopped into the water. The tingles were once again tiring her out. A breeze, not cool at all, caught her hair. The water below cackled merrily and she ran her fingers through her damp hair by the perspiration. The hair in her neck was tangled and her haori and hakama felt heavy against her heated skin. Kaede got up to her feet, dusting off her own hakama and soon they were marching in a relative silence. During their walk, she was supposed to reach deep. They stopped into a clearing and Kaede drove a stick into the ground, creating a barrier.

"The best way to learn, is to feel." She told the young girl and Chiharu exhaled slowly. Easier said than done. She crouched down onto the floor and placed her hands loosely into her lap. She ignored the aches, the tingles and the burn of the mark on her neck and inhaled softly, remembering her breathing exercises.

She remembered when she finally clambered out of the Bone-Eater's Well, pulling herself up on the mass of vines covering the ledge, the air had smelt so much purer. As she peered around, looking for the horrible looking creature that had attacked her older sister, she also realised the loud sound of traffic was not around either. Nor was her house, or her their family shrine…

She inhaled again.

While she looked for her sister in the complete wrong direction, Kagome got hurt by Mistress Centipede, the Shikon-No-Tama ripped out of her body. Then to make it all so much worse, her older sister managed to somehow hit the pearl, which had been eaten by some Yōkai bird, and splattered the shards across Sengoku jidai.

She exhaled.

Chiharu ended up with the shorter end of the stick. When she finally managed to return to Edo, almost able to return home, she ran into the rude boyfriend Kagome had made. He was like a child. Acted out like a child and she had even thought it was amusing.

She forced herself to inhale slowly.

She met Sesshomaru, really met him, only two days later. The arsehole who got her in this predicament. For a stupid rusty old sword, he had deemed it necessary to ruin her life.

Exhaling, teeth grinding together, she squeezed her eyes shut. She was vaguely aware of the soft light tingling around her fingers and suddenly she found her reiki. It ebbed inside of her and she concentrated on it. Pushing and pulling it, ebbing inside of her. The Youki was there as well

Suddenly the tingles became worse and she gasped, flopping back onto the forest floor. She twitched, the high-pitched scream dying into her throat.

"It's all right, Child. Ye all right!" Kaede whispered almost soothly and tried pushing her up. Chiharu ground her teeth together. She wondered how much the enamel had suffered these past few weeks by grinding her teeth so much.

She panted, trying to find the inner piece of her reiki again and when she did, actually finding it again, she felt the prickles slowly disappear. "I'm okay," she breathed, sitting up slowly, "really I'm fine!"

"Me thinks it is time to test your skills." Kaede said, as the pain and aches had fell away.

Chiharu stared up at the older woman, slightly unsettled. The older woman smiled and pulled the stick out of the forest floor. The kekkai shimmered and slowly fell away. Chiharu stared after her as Kaede beckoned her to follow.

"Test mu skill?" she mumbled softly, getting to unsteady feet.

I-I. ⌡. Γ┐

He peered at her, hair messily framing her face. Her heartbeat slowed, slowly growing more regular. His eyes narrowed as he watched the elderly Miko teach the girl. He watched her chest expand, air filling her lungs, and hears her soft exhale. He had surveyed the land around the human village weeks ago. Had followed the sister, his anger and smug knowledge he had one over his foolish half-brother overridden by curiosity, through the thick foliage. He passed the tree where Inuyasha had been confined for almost fifty years — the gash where the arrow had struck remained — and followed the girl to the centre of a clearing. A lone old wooden well stood alone. The girl — so inadequately dressed he was surprised the village man didn't crawl after her — slowly sat down onto the ledge, vines covering the old wood and suddenly she pushed herself off. Her presence disappeared and he had peered into the dark depths only to confirm that Inuyasha concubine girl had disappeared as by magic.

He didn't like enigma's and jumped after the foolish girl, only to land light amidst several remains, both Yōkai and human. He could sense the echo of magic, but he had no idea what it was that made it possible for the girl to disappear. Yet, it showed no sign of granting him passage.

He peered at the girl again. Her face was serene and her eyes were still closed. Her breathing and heartbeat were even, the reiki shield the elderly Miko had created shimmered around them, and the girl's reiki pulsed slightly, echoing the soft zoom the shield gave off. She was blissfully unaware of it. The magic dormant into her blood reminded him of the magic around the well. It reminded him of it, even when reiki and youki blended together. It was the pureness of her heart that saved her. Although he had expected her to pull through, he had also expected his foolish brother to seek him out. She was supposed to slowly die unless Inuyasha offered an exchange. The 'Steel Cleaving Fang' for the life of the girl.

A girl who was now seated on the forest floor, doing a poor job at meditating. Yet, she was reaching it. It circled around her, careening outward, feeling around. He felt a muscle in his cheek pop and she suddenly gasped, flopping backwards when he pressed against their bond. An unworthy human was not going to prove herself worthy. He would not allow it.

She gasped, throwing herself backwards.

She did that often when he used his youki on her. He knew she felt his calls. She'd even admitted so much mere minutes ago and she thought she could ignore him. The waves of his power lingered around him and he heard a few minor Yōkai scuttle away when they detected him. If he sought the Miko out right now her defiance would probably push him too much. He didn't have the patience to deal with humans, much less children. He watched her stumble after the old village Miko. No, he wanted her to do his bidding, not refusing to do so. No, the best way to make her do what he wanted was making her see there was now way out then him. He smirked. What better way to teach Inuyasha a lesson than using his female for it.

I-I. ⌡. Γ┐

She saw them. A flock of birds came down the valley, descending down onto the large trees. Plump redwings and grey, gawky fieldfares settled over the trees at the edge of the village. They swayed heavily beneath their combined weight and even though the heat of the day, they flapped their wings heavily.

"These Yōkai have been attacking the farmers that went out the last few days." Kaede explained.

"Yōkai?" Chiharu echoed. She narrowed her eyes. When she looked more closely, she noticed the auras and the more narrow beaks. They looked like crows, but she realised, slightly unsettled, they weren't

Chiharu peered at them. The bird-yōkai had eaten almost all the rotten orange fruit at speed, stretching their necks and flapping for balance. They didn't seem all that dangerous, yet, she gripped her bow and quiver with arrows tightly. The bushes below the nest were stripped with berries.

"With this weather they've been more agitated going after the harvest." Kaede explained. "Going after the villagers. Till now we've kept them cornered in their nest at least during the day but it's far more difficult during the night."

"I see," Chiharu muttered.

"The Shibugarasu pray on humans. Usually they eat their way into someone, building a nest, manipulating the corpse of the death. Praying on even more humans." Kaede explained. "This is a nest full of them."

"I see,"

"They eat children." Kaede said and Chiharu realised she wanted a different reaction than 'I see' and nodded, notching an arrow. A tense anticipation settled into her stomach and she followed Kaede closer towards the nest. Several villagers where crowding around the trees actually holding pitchforks and burning torches. As if it wasn't already hot enough.

Unlike the birds they resembled the Yōkai clacked their beaks red eyes focused on the several young children that had come along with their parents. Chiharu pushed her damp hair out of her face and gripped her bow even tighter, her knuckles turning white.

"Chiharu-chan, diverting their attention is not enough. Ye have to hit them."

"Yes, I will." The feathers of the arrow grazed against her cheek and she exhaled softly, aiming the arrow carefully at one of the larger birds, at the top of the drooping tree branches and drew the string back. It was weird, they sensed her before she'd even released the arrow and suddenly a dozen of red gleaming eyes were peering her way.

"What the—?"

"They sense his aura." Kaede explained leaning a bit more heavily on her large bow. "They sense your aura. To minor yōkai it must be frightening."

"You're sure they're not just sensing the jewel shards?" Chiharu asked softly as the tip of her arrow glowed a faint pink. The tingles in her arms and legs intensified when she concentrated on her reiki. Grounding her teeth together she narrowed her eyes, squinting at the sunlight. The crow-yōkai circled around the tree, flapping their wings and suddenly dove for her.

She squeaked letting her arrow fly and, although it hit one of the birds, the damage was minimal. She batted one away with her bow, the animal riveted against a tree and she dove for the ground, a plume of dry sand going up in the air. Dark wings ruffled when they pecked at her, one of their beaks drawing a gash over her cheek.

"Are you not helping me?" she asked, panic heightening her voice even more. Kaede was leaning heavily against her bow, the soft shimmer of the kekkai dauntingly against the still air and peered almost stoically at her young pupil. Chiharu batted another one away and rolled over, struggling to find herself a decent shot. Soon the sky was black with feathers from where the Yōkai had crashed against the barrier and Chiharu rolled away, sliding off a gentle slope and slamming against the trunk of a tree.

"This is a fight ye have to fight yehself."

She shrieked as another crow-yōkai shot down and landed another gash on her cheek. She released another arrow pushing and controlling as much reiki as she could and she watched as the lower half of one of the yōkai bodies blasted away. They were circling her now, her own blood rushing down her cheek and dripping overly loud on the forest floor. The jewel shards she had with her were indeed not their target and although she felt the prickles and the aches run up and down her body she also felt anger, finally real and tangible anger, pull at her. Twist at her insides and fuel herself, as she got up to her knees. With a cry she batted another away, her power lightening it up before it fell to the forest floor obliterating before her very eyes.

"That's it!" Kaede cried out enthusiastically and fuelled by that same height of power she notched another arrow and released it. The swathe of light was blinding and the crows screeched and howled. When she could see again, the light diminished, she realised half the swarm of birds had been dispatched. She slowly scrambled to her feet and watched as the remaining view started to whirl away.

"Another one,"

"Okay," she notched her third arrow and released it.

it shot up and again the pink spiritual light was blinding. As the rest of the birds melted away, the trees shaking with their departure, she peered over the lane and fields. It was a calm scene now that the yōkai-birds took off. It made the blood in her veins run faster and she watched the few that survived depart. A few feathers drifted down from the sky and down towards the dry ground she stood on. She relished the sudden sharpness in the air and inhaled deeply. The tang was a welcome change in the air.

 _To be continued…_

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 **A/N: And that was chapter five. Next update on thursday October the fifth. Let me know what you all think.**

 **Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi**


	7. Chapter 6, the Mark

**A/N: And here is chapter six. Please enjoy!**

 **Like always, thank you for all the reviews and comments (Sesshomaru is definitely a stalker by my account). They are awesome. This chapter is un-betad, which means small changes might still happen the upcoming view days. Enjoy!**

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o.O.o

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 **Chapter Six, The Mark**

' _The scar meant that I was stronger than what had tried to hurt me.' — Anaïs Nin_

 **W** hen the summer finally made place for autumn, the trees remain green until the middle of the next month. Kagome-oneechan visited. She was overly excited to see her little sister back on her feet again and almost cracked a few ribs when she hugged Chiharu. Their group had grown with the addition of Hōshi Miroku. He was weird, cursed by the dangerous Naraku to have a void in his hand that would slowly but progressively kill him. Although, initially, he tried to get near her, but he kept his distance after a murderous glare from Inuyasha. When they left again, promising to look for Sesshomaru — who apparently didn't want to be found — and pressed a phial of jewel shards into Chiharu's hands before she went. After all since her last meeting with a yōkai it became rather obvious they did indeed not sense it on her. The older Higurashi girl was expecting Chiharu to keep it save as her own Miko aura and the hostile aura that Sesshomaru had left on her, hid the shards surprisingly well. She snorted to herself. She doubted anyone could sense anything on her with the amount of hostility that came off of her.

The air became cooler, with a tincture of earthiness and she slowly grew accustomed to the cooler air. The animals were a lot busier, those who hibernated getting themselves ready for the winter. Kaede had her fireplace crackling most of the day while the villagers kept themselves busy with the canning of the late fruits and vegetables. The green splendour of spring, that had started to degenerate when the heatwave had started, degenerated even faster. The ground burned with a mosaic of colours like yellow, orange and red and stones became bare.

She was laying on her mat in Kaede's hut. Feet dangling in the air and her chin cradled in her hands as she read through one of her science books. Just that she wouldn't go home when she felt unwell, didn't mean she couldn't at least read about all the things that she had at home — read learning for school — and would be missing while she was in Sengoku jidai. The mark on her throat began to burn again. She had ignored it before. Had refused to follow the pull back then. Chiharu exhaled loudly and slowly got up from her tatami mat. Her dark hair messily framed her face and slipped out of the hut. Her feet hit the leaf-covered ground in almost silence and she inhaled loudly. Inuyasha and Kagome were not in town. Chiharu wasn't sure when they would be back, but she suspected _he_ wouldn't be here if Inuyasha had been around.

The mark _he_ had left with his teeth felt like acid boring into her flesh. Some days it was bearable, those days were the best because then she could eat, enjoy being outside and even practice archery in the forest near the village.

Reiki extended outward from her fingertips, tingeing her skin with a soft pink glow. The latent Youki hovering in the dark edges of her body, threatening to brush over her Miko powers. They gave her a nasty burning sensation and left her with an empty feeling in her stomach.

She followed the tingling sensation leisurely, wandering past the market place and crossed the clearing towards the woods. A sliver of fear welled up from her brain, her breath catching in her throat when she felt the clear form of his Youki press against her. Chiharu stopped walking, fingers curling into fists and breathing speeding up. The Youki into her blood reacted to it like fire to oxygen, an unknown pain forcing her to her knees.

He forced her to take his Youki, she recognised the feeling. A green mist rising from him like steam and force its way into her petite body. Or at least that is how she imagined it.

Slowly, tiredly, she got up again. She growled angrily and quickened her step, ignoring the ache that had settled into her bones.

He stood against the darkness like a spirit from another world. He looked unearthly, more unearthly then he'd looked all those weeks ago. Sharp angelic features and silvery-white hair. He looked even more beautiful than she could remember. Chiharu didn't think it was fair.

He stared dispassionately at her as she approached him. She didn't know how, but she felt his anger spike. She didn't know what she'd expected. Golden eyes flicked over her face briefly, lingering on the bandaged mark for a moment.

"Miko,"

"Not anymore, am I?" she asked angrily. The amount of hostile Youki inside her meant she wasn't a Miko anymore. Even if she still had the powers of one…

"Come,"

She felt her temper surface, prickling at her senses and flushing her skin. She wanted to protest. She did but as he walked away from her the ache in her bones was far more prominent than it was, she followed his lead. Without a care in the world he lowered himself gracefully to the grass, gazing out over the running water of the river in front of him.

"Why?"

"Why?" he echoed and she finally felt her temper break through her walls.

It took her two steps, two swift steps at that, she moved much faster than they should have, to step in front of him. The slap resonated through the silent forest, even the animals seemed to have quieted and her eyes grew wide.

His eyes bled red and a horrible sort of terror ran through her. She was flung back, hit the ground hard and crumbled to the forest-floor. The slap had left a satisfying tingle into her left hand but as he loomed over her, that satisfaction disappeared. The furious look on his face made the blood in her veins freeze. And then the ache in her body grew stronger.

She glanced up at him through a sheen of tears. He could literally decide the amount of pain she would feel and as her feet started to jerk, he crouched down and traced her cheek with sharp talons. "You are quite foolish,"

"Why?" she hiccuped, "What have I ever done to you?"

"If you want to stop this," he whispered, "You only have to say so."

His lips quirked and she felt her cheeks turn red. She blinked profusely against the tears and she grounded her jaws together. "But you don't do things for leisure, do you?"

He chuckled. The sound low and menacing and the pads of his fingers traced over the red angry mark on her neck. The pain stopped, slight tingles remained but for the first time in days, maybe weeks she could breath again. Chiharu felt her muscles relax and her breath left her in a soft exhale. "I'll release you from this pain if you bring me the Tetsusaiga."

And then he was gone. She waited for the pain, but it didn't come. It took a whole minute before the tremors and the tingles returned in force. She hiccuped again.

 **I-I. ⌡. Γ┐**

It took three days before she felt as good as she had felt before Sesshomaru had deigned her with a visit. Inuyasha and her older sister had yet to return, trying to find pieces of the Shikon-No-Tama and she pushed herself to new limits. Every morning she tried to jog around the village. She practiced her archery until her mark became perfect. She was in pain but the longer you were in pain the more used she got to it. The brief moments there was relief from pain and then when it returned if was far worse. _He_ was patient, that she would have to admit.

Chiharu curled her legs comfortably under her and traced her fingers over the book on the small table in front of her. A teapot steamed on a small mat along with two small cups. Over the last few weeks her senses became stronger. She didn't tell her over-protective sister about the change, did not confide in Kaede-baba, although Chiharu suspected she knew anyway, but couldn't keep it from Inuyasha — 'Your scent has changed,' — who knew everything.

"What does it mean?" One of the villagers asked and Chiharu strained her ears.

"Nothing, it's not important." Another said.

"Not important?" the first asked. "That girl's life—"

"She's no longer a normal girl. You've heard the Hōshi. Miko-Sama is losing her mind."

"She's only a child."

Their voices were coming closer. Chiharu swallowed and quickly tied her obi and carefully glanced outside. Two men, they were still on the other end of the village, but she recognised the clear intent in one of the man's eyes. They were going to try and murder the science project their leader kept in the basement and she inhaled sharply. With fingers that always trembled she swung her holster over her shoulder and moved through the door-flap.

The marketplace was busy, straw and wooden faggots piled in he middle for the evening fire. Chiharu pushed her hands further up her sleeves and lowered her chin to her chest, her eyes hidden by her dark fringe. She had been aware of what _they'd_ called her. Devil's whore to demon slut, they weren't very original, but their comments did hurt. She quickened her pace, crossing the marketplace.

"Isn't that her?"

Chiharu quickened her step and suddenly jumped up, into a tree and hoisted herself up on the branches. Navigating through branches wasn't her specialty, but she had gotten much better at it. Late spring had moved into summer and brought an early drought. Horses stood in pair in the shadows of the first trees and looked up, eyes large and frightened as she jumped from branch to branch and squinted her eyes as the sun filtered in through the leaves.

"What's going on?"

That was Kaede-babaa and Chiharu sat down on a thick large branch. Her scent was familiar. Chiharu snorted. She was starting to familiarising all the different scents and although she wasn't very good at tracking yet, she would be. If she had the time.

"Ah, nothing, Miko-Sama."

"Then why are yeh fully armed?"

"This girl, Miko-Sama." The first man snapped. "She's dangerous."

"They are looking for a solution."

"Yes, and while they do that white-haired monster is abiding his time waiting until he can pull her strings. I've heard the information they have. She might have been fighting, but he'll pull at her strings at some point. She's not human anymore, we should not forget that."

"And killing her was yeh answer?"

Chiharu heard the shuffle of feet quickly coming her way.

"Chiharu-chan?" Her voice was urgently and her breathing fast. Chiharu waited for the older woman to step in the clearing. Kaede spotted her almost immediately.

"There yeh are," her eyes narrowed, "in a tree."

Chiharu nodded, "Yes, I need to leave!"

She glanced around. It was a beautiful early autumn day. The slowly wilting grass moved slowly in the chilly air. A bird chirped from a nearby tree and she shook her head against the slight ringing it left. Chiharu sighed, leaning back against the bark of the tree and puckered her lips.

"I'm so thankful that you helped me, but I have to— I need to figure out what to do with this." She explained pointing her finger at the mark, red and angry against her pale skin. "I can't do that while being here. Being a nuisance—" or a danger apparently — "to all of you…"

"You're not,"

"Not to you, and again, thank you so much. I'm going to find my sister. And I'm going to stop being the victim."

"You are—"

"I'm going to find a way around this." She said.

Kaede smiled. "I see," she whispered, suddenly offering a package, scarf wrapped around it. "Take this with you."

"I—" she furrowed her brows. "What's that?"

"Cups, chopsticks, a scarf and those painkillers your sister brought from your home."

"You knew I was leaving?" Chiharu asked, leaning her weight more comfortable on the thick branch.

"I suspected."

She slowly took the offered package and smiled thankfully, climbing back in the tree and gazing out over the slope in the forest floor and the waterfall cascaded down a series of rocky outcrops before flowing its way, twisting up towards the East towards the sea.

"I will return," Chiharu vowed before leaning over the branch and gazing down. The water tinkled in a laughing sort of way and large rock, slippery as they crossed the stream. The older woman's heartbeat was comfortingly familiar, but she couldn't stay.

She smiled at the older woman one last time. "I'll see you again."

"Good luck, child."

Chiharu exhaled softly, pressing her lips together and suddenly dropped down, down the waterfall and landed on a large grey rock. The sun shone from behind, throwing large shadows over the shore. The wind blew lightly, lifting her large sleeves up and Chiharu crouched down at the slow creeping pain, exhaustion and endless prickles went up her arms. She closed her eyes, inhaling slowly. Scents, so many of them, assaulted her nostrils. Like usual the they were overwhelming and she grounded her teeth together.

She knew how her sister smelled and she knew how Kagome's boyfriend, with whom she only argued, smelled. She could track them down. Another prickle went up her arm and nestled itself under one of the notches of her spine. She needed to be cured. She needed to get out, get away. She needed to be human and not whatever they thought she was. If that meant he needed the sword, than by all means. It would mean betraying the one she loved . It would mean she had to betray her friends to its fullest and she felt bad about it, but she was tired. Weeks of fighting and she didn't think she could continue doing so.

She didn't want to be a pariah anymore.

She inhaled again. She could of course follow the shikon shards as well. Scent and shikon shards should help her find them. That combination was unique. She moved quickly through the forest, sniffing the air languidly and following the twinkle of shards north. She carefully jumped over a fallen tree and as she walked, occupying her mind with several math equations, she soon felt the tingles running up and down her arms and legs reigned in. She felt her eyebrows furrow.

Bloody bastard! Even now he was probably watching her. With his ability to hide his youki and, she sniffed again, his scent she wouldn't know for certain where he was.

She followed the zigzagging form of a gently running river and watched soldiers and travellers pass her. She didn't bother them and as she passed three scabby looking men, they didn't bother her.

 **I-I. ⌡. Γ┐**

After two days of walking she became painfully aware that she hadn't thought her plan over. Inuyasha and Kagome were still miles away and as the sun set the prickles and aches returned. She had no money, no matt to sleep on and now food whatsoever. The food wasn't much of a problem, she still wasn't eating well, but the knowledge that there wasn't any now, made her stomach churn. She supposed she could revert to her old habits, turning to a village, there was one close by, and nick a bit of rice and perhaps look for some berries and mushrooms.

Leaning against the rough bark of a tree, she nodded to herself. It was the best line of action. Ignoring the tingles, she readjusted the knot on her obi and slowly started towards the heavy smell of human. The rice field arounds the villages were large, farmers walking behind wooden constructions pulled by cows and soldiers were standing at the edge, leaning against a wooden fence. Large bags with rice were standing unprotected against a small wooden hut.

She smiled. She could combine it with mushrooms and perhaps even a few blackberries and if she did her best she might even catch a fish — had to look the other way, when killing it. She carefully pushed out her reiki, just in case, and carefully searched for any tendril of hostile energy (ignoring the hostile energy coming from herself). There wasn't. There was someone with holy power, but she didn't think he was a threat.

As the sun sunk even deeper, halfway below the horizon, she inched forward. Large shadows stretched out over the rice fields and the farmers were making haste to finish up on the lands. She easily sneaked up to the large sacks full of rice and took just enough to feed her for two days and packed it away in a linen napkin. Hiding it between her obi and her outer Haori when suddenly a tingle, that was not from pain, ran down her spine.

She carefully turned her head around and slowly backed away, when she realised she had been spotted. They were both wearing the usual Hōshi garbs, both holding a Shakujō staff and both had a quiver full of arrows on their shoulders and a bow.

"Chikushō," she mumbled.

Their faces turned serious and she felt reiki flare. It wasn't especially strong. Not if her reiki didn't even blaze at their proximity. She practically jumped through the bushes and disappeared through the trees. She got a fire running less than an hour later and tiredly slumped to the forest floor watching the fire crackling merrily.

The firelight warmed her pale skin, sending a healthy flash over her cheeks and lent a muted glow to her dark hair, framing her face. The breeze went through he forest, leaves already turning brown ruffling, and lifted her hair. She curled her legs up under her and swallowed the painkillers. There weren't many left, but now that she was moving she realised she could push the pain to the corners of her mind, successfully pushing the pain and aches down. They were still there, but as long as she held her reiki under control she felt good enough. The change of scenery, the fresh air, it all did her good and she thought that if she was kept busy, she could overpower whatever power _he_ kept over her.

Her reiki still rushed through her veins, but the unexpected Miko powers she hadn't been able to always control had to lay dormant. She exhaled softly. Her ears felt slightly cold and from a not so far distance she could hear bushes riffle. She shifted in her seat, leaning her elbow on her left knee and gazed into the darkness. Half of the time she heard something, it was just a fox or a small rabbit, yet, this time the footfalls on the forest floor sounded heavier.

Craning her neck, she got to her feet, wincing slightly as small tingles shot up her limbs and grounded her jaws together, pushing her reiki back until the tingles lay dormant once again.

Suddenly, her spine went rigid when she sensed them, heard them, smelled them. She swallowed down entirely too much air and felt her ears twitch. For once she even immediately recognised the sound of a bowstring being pulled back and suddenly an arrow cut through the air. She spotted it coming to her, almost in slow-motion. Like the two seconds it normally took for an arrow to slice through the air and lodge it self into an enemy stretched out. Something below her skin surged at that. Angry and hostile and, although being angry with the world did little to solve all of her problems, made her skin prickle with something she couldn't name.

Tendrils of reiki unfurled, the hostile youki intertwining with it, she wasn't sure if that was supposed to happen and as the arrow cut through the air, aimed straight at her heart, she caught it, the wood designating the moment the pads of her fingers snapped it in two.

The monk from earlier, old and frizzled, took a slow step back, fear flashing over his face. The youki, which was the most obvious on her, pressed against her, like a blanket, pain and tingles momentarily forgotten, while the magic that was her reiki touched lightly around.

"What is she Hōshi-Sama?"

"I have no idea."

'And yet you thought it to be a good idea to shoot an arrow at me anyway…'

She aimed an arrow of herself so fast, the boy squeaked and shot it at the older monk, pinning him to a tree behind him. The rough bark of the tree frizzled when it started to dissolve and if she wasn't so angry she would likely have realised she wasn't supposed to be able to do that. The man yelped and his young student pulled the arrow out of his clothes.

They took a page out of her book and as she stood there, still angry but just as surprised as the two man, they turned around and ran. It would have been her line of action when she ran into trouble. Someone dangerous and powerful would have sent her running for the hills. As their footsteps and ragged breathing died away the stench of burned flesh wafted to her nostrils.

With a sigh she dropped her bow to the floor and gazed at the fire, leaning back against the rough bark of the pine tree behind her. Adrenaline surged through her veins and she frowned.

She felt something else too, although she couldn't describe it. It pulsed through her and the closest thing she could compare it to, was the echo of her rapidly beating heart. Chiharu slowly lowered herself back on the ground and tried concentrating on the pulse, but as the adrenaline left her system, so did the echo of her heart.

 _To be continued…_

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 **A/N: And no the lack of restraint and control isn't a good sign. This story's update schedule has been changed to once a week (until I'll run out of chapters, or out of** _ **the muse**_ **): next update upcoming Thursday. Let me know what you all thought of this one.**

 **InuYasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi**


	8. Chapter 7, Senses

**A/N: Thank you for all these lovely reviews. I adore them. To answer a few questions to my guest reader, I can't reply to you personally (I'm sorry);**

 **Yes, the farmers turned on her immediately. I find people are usually the most hostile to things/people they fear. I'm not entirely sure if Sesshomaru is content (he isn't easily content, but well, he's somewhat demanding, isn't he?).**

 **To another guest: yes, her powers are changing (corrupting if you will). I remember vaguely that humans could willingly (by** _ **the strength**_ **of evil thoughts) become yōkai, so I thought it made sense if a yōkai could turn somewhat yōkaish as well.**

 **Anyway, enjoy the next chapter and please leave a review^^**

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 **Chapter Seven, Senses  
** _The only thing we have to fear is fear itself._

\bhe sun scattered through the thick canopy of leaves. Chiharu felt her mind buzzing and she felt strangely unsettled. It was only mid-afternoon and she glanced up at the sun. Leaves Inuyasha dragged his group, two new added scents she didn't know, up towards the East. Their scent had grown much stronger and she knew they must be very close.

"Inuyasha! Osuwari!"

Closer than she'd initially thought…

The sound of someone crashing against the forest-floor echoed through the bright morning and Chiharu exhaled gratefully. Finally! Kagome Higurashi stormed away from the clearing, her face pale with anger and her mouth pressed into a thin line.

When she noticed her younger sister, hovering at the forest edge she stopped, eyes widening. "Chiharu?"

"Yeah,"

"I don't understand, why, how?"

"The village ceased being save for me." She answered.

"Are you all right?" her older sister asked slowly. "I mean when we were at Kaede's you were still hurt."

Chiharu nodded. "I was, I still am, but I'm feeling better." She told her simply. "Why did you sit him?"

"Because he is an arse."

She chuckled, eyes flitting over the trees. He must have gotten up from his crater and jumped into a tree. She noticed his red-clad form sitting high in a large oak tree. Clenching her fists she glanced around the rest of their camp. A small Yōkai, youki not matured even in the slightest, with large green eyes and auburn hair. He had paws for feet, a cream-coloured, fluffy tail and wore a blue Sashinuki Hakama and a turquoise Happi coat, patterned with leaves, covered by a warm tan fur vest. His eyes widened when e noticed her looking at him and hid behind a large yellow backpack.

"This is my baby-sister, Shippō-chan!" Kagome explained. Whatever escape she'd had made long forgotten and she led Chiharu to the centre of the clearing.

"Oh, hi?" he squeaked and Chiharu felt bad she scared him.

"What are you doing here?" Inuyasha barked from his place high in the tree. She rolled her eyes, her excitement overpowering almost all of her aches and pains.

"It's so nice to see you again too." Chiharu dryly remarked. "I ran into a bit of trouble at the village."

Inuyasha jumped from the tree down to the ground. Chiharu didn't even blink when his face was suddenly only a few centimetres away from her. His eyebrows furrowed in concentration as if he could read her thought if he stared hard enough. "Did the bastard sent you?"

"Yes, because I'm his puppet, of course." She answered sarcastically, although slightly horrified he had picked up on the obvious so easily.

"I know what it represents." The Hanyō muttered.

"That's great," she remarked sarcastically. She glanced at the sword at his hip and kicked some pebbles into the water of the river. "Why don't you enlighten me?"

His face turned a dark red and he muttered something about stupid girls before jumping back into his tree. Shippō slowly inched closer. His nose twitched and his eyes were wide. "You smell weird." He muttered and Kagome sighed.

"Men in this area have no manners."

"I agree with that sentiment," Chiharu admitted before crouching down. "Why do I smell weird?"

The small racoon yōkai pursed his lips. He sniffed again, eyebrows scrunched and cheeks flushed with what she thought must be excitement for being asked his opinion. "Your scent is mixed with that of a human, yet…" He sniffed again, the frown between his eyebrows deepening. "Very strong aura swirls around what I think is your normal scent. "

"Hm, seems correct." She admitted. "I ran into Inuyasha's brother. He's a bit of a jerk."

"Can't be more of a jerk than Inuyasha himself," Shippō answered glancing darkly up at the tree where Inuyasha was in. Chiharu chuckled and slowly got to her feet again.

"You've found more Shikon shards, have you not?" She said, glancing at the slight twinkle around her older sister's neck and Kagome smiled.

"Yes," Kagome answered, peering down at Shippō for a moment. "Yes, five shards, still nowhere close to make it whole, but a small step closer to the completion of the Shikon-No-Tama."

"A small step for a man a big step for mankind." She nodded and Kagome winced.

"What?"

"We've missed three important tests." She whispered awkwardly. "How will we be able to enrol in any good High school if we miss so much?"

"There are special rules when a student misses a lot due to sickness," Chiharu answered slowly. "Don't know if that would apply to us, though… What is jii-chan telling to school?"

"Yes," Kagome admitted, "he told the headmaster we were both infected with the bird flu."

"Come again?"

"Yeah…"

The bushes behind the two siblings ruffled and soft footfalls came closer to Inuyasha's little campsite. Shippō the child-Yōkai twisted his nose muttering something about 'the Hentai-Hōshi is back' and jumped up on Kagome's shoulder. A man with black hair tied back in a small ponytail and dark blue eyes stepped into the clearing. He was handsome enough with sun-tanned skin and high cheekbones. He smiled at her, his Shakujō staff tinkled as he leaned down onto it. Chiharu recognised him to be a monk. She furrowed her brows and cocked her head. He wore golden earrings and quite extravagant and expensive robes for a monk.

"Oh," the man smiled again, pushing a lock of hair out of his face with his right hand. A string of beads, a rosary, was bound around his wrist and Chiharu pushed her hands inside of her sleeves. "You must be Kagome-Sama's sister. I've heard what happened to you!"

"Yes," Chiharu nodded slowly, "I wish I knew who you were but I seem to have no idea."

"I'm Mirōku," the man continued, suddenly clasping her hands in his. "I was cursed by the hideous Naraku, would you do me the honour of bearing me, my children?" He asked her seriously and Chiharu felt her eyes widen.

"What?"

One hand left hers and she noticed his hand go towards her outer thigh. She caught it before he could do what he wanted to do and squeezed it until he winced. The smile on Mirōku's face was wiped clean off and she only let him go when Kagome urgently started to tug at her sleeve.

"All right, Chiharu-chan, drop his hand, he can't help it, he's a Hentai."

"He does this— often?"

"Almost every time we run into a beautiful woman he asks them to bear his children," Kagome answered and Chiharu dropped his wrist.

"I see,"

She slowly backed away and shook her tingling fingers. Kagome pursed her lips thoughtfully before grabbing hold of her younger sister's wrist and proceeded in dragging her away. Shippō the racoon jumped on the older Higurashi's shoulder and Chiharu frowned.

"Where are we going?"

"Looking for herbs," Kagome announced and Chiharu glanced first at her older sister and then at Shippō. The conclusion: an ambush.

"Oh, are we?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. "I had no idea you could tell them apart."

"I can't," Kagome admitted, "but I need to speak to you without Inuyasha lording over me."

"Okay?"

"Chiharu-chan, I've never seen you move that fast," Kagome whispered. "I mean, when he brought his hand to your— erm— behind, you caught it with as much trouble as you would catch a volleyball at the gym."

"I can't really explain that Onee-chan…" she answered, flopping back onto a fallen tree. "It's like when I ignore the tingles and aches, which I think I'm almost getting accustomed to, my senses have been enchanted. I don't know as if my instincts have advanced to a level that matches—" his Youki.

"That's not normal, Chiharu-chan," Kagome answered sternly and Chiharu gave her a blank look. Did she seriously think any of this was normal? Till now everyone she had spoken to blanched at the mere idea of her mark and she was actually carrying it. She expected it had changed her whole essence. Finally acknowledging that made her shoulders sag. If it had— if it had actually changed her genetics, then that might not be easy to restore.

She squeezed her eyes shut and ground her jaws together. "I know, but I think this is my normal now."

"I'm so happy you're feeling better though," Kagome whispered before hugging her again. "Please come with me to see mum and Jii-chan."

"I promise,"

They arrived at camp when the sun started to descent. Mirōku glanced at their empty hands with a frown and Shippō, small and bubbly, explained that they couldn't find the right herbs. Inuyasha snorted and with a small smile, Chiharu settled next to her sister as she started dinner. After they all had a bowl of ramen — something Inuyasha seemed to justify murder for — they settled in for bed.

Shippō leaned his cheek on her lap and she absentmindedly ran her fingers through his sandy hair. He drifted into a peaceful sleep.

"Chiharu-chan, I've brought my spare sleeping-bag." Her older sister said while holding a red sleeping-bag up for her to see.

"That's all right," she said but took it from the other girl either way. She carefully lifted the little child-yōkai and placed him in the sleeping bag. He let out a content sigh before snuggling into the red material and Chiharu gazed into the burning embers of the fire. She was quite content, sitting there with the warmth of the fire cocooning her when she suddenly felt it.

That eerie feeling you would get when you were being watched. A prickle ran up her spine and she slowly flitted her eyes through the clearing until they rested on a tree. Moving carefully to her knees, she straightened up and gazed intently at the dark shadow between the leaves.

"What's wrong?" Her sister asked.

"I—" She started, slowly getting to her feet. "I'm not sure—"

I-I. ⌡. Γ┐

For what seemed like hours, Sesshōmaru studied the little Miko through the leaves of a tall tree. She looked tired, her face pale and her eyes fixed on the crackling fire. He felt the heavy magic burn beneath her skin, press against him. Her blood was constantly burning and her emotions were difficult. She was a tool though, and a very useful one. How easy humans were to manipulate. He only had to show himself once to the villagers and they were out for the child's blood.

His features darkened when he felt her fight the partial bond. Her body would fight it until he let her accept it. She was not strong enough, not nearly strong enough, to overpower him, but she was fighting admirably. He glanced at her as she fingered the feathers of her arrows and leant back against the bark of a tree. She was getting better at archery. When he met her, bumbling and happy, she was careless in battle. He had encountered more capable Mikos and Hōshis, yet she wasn't weak. The fact that she lived through the first phase was enough proof of that.

Sesshōmaru sighed. It would be far easier to just slit her throat and he was considering doing just that. There were other ways to get the Tetsusaiga, yet, she was the easy way. That and seeing her try and beg was amusing. Or at least it was amusing when she was still sulking in the village. She seemed to fare much better now that she was around her friends and family. He needed to push her fast. He needed to—

She suddenly looked up, glancing in his direction. She couldn't see him, there was no way she could have sensed him either. He had concealed his Youki perfectly. Yet her eyebrows furrowed in question and her head tilted slightly.

"What's wrong?" the other human girl asked, face similar to her little Miko sister, yet they were so different.

"I—" she started.

Flexing his clawed fingers, he pressed against their bond and she whimpered, falling to her knees, pressing her forehead against the forest floor. How easy he could hurt her. Watching her fingers curl into fists and grounding her jaws together, he turned away leaving the girl gasping for air.

"Chiharu?"

He slowly walked away, his footsteps not audible on the forest floor. She thought she could win against him, still unsure if she should betray the foolish half-breed. Humans and their foolish emotions, she wouldn't hold on. He would make sure of it.

Chiharu Higurashi gasped pressing her forehead against the forest-floor until the tremors and aches dulled. Her breathing loud in the shocked silence around her and she squeezed her eyes shut.

"Chiharu-Sama?"

"If you touch my butt, you'll lose your hand, Mirōku!" she gasped, sensing him inching closer towards her.

"I would never," he huffed, yet she saw him hold his wrist to his chest. Pushing herself up she pressed her back against the rough bark of a tree again and tried concentrate. Tried to find that place of calm inside her. To find that place where her own magic blazed and flowed to push up against his Youki and forced it to settle. To ebb within her until the prickles calmed and she exhaled loudly.

"Impressive," that was Mirōku, eyes wide and voice awed, "you're strong."

She almost snorted. That little trick had taken her five weeks to master — only two days ago — but she would admit that it helped. "I don't know about that." She muttered and starting to run her fingers through Shippō's hair again and, looking up at her with bleary eyes, he fell asleep in seconds.

"It's still bad, isn't it?" Kagome peered at her with worried eyes and Chiharu had the smashed the part that wanted to curl under a stone and hide for the rest of her life.

"Sometimes, but when I concentrate like that, it becomes bearable."

"It isn't the concentration," Inuyasha said, settling down onto the forest floor next to Mirōku. He looked at her as if she was an enigma. "Youkai can take more than one mate. It's like—"

"A human engagement." Mirōku finished.

"Yes," Inuyasha admitted. "Your body is accepting the change but as long as it isn't completed he will be able to hurt you."

"Complete?" Kagome asked and Chiharu shifted closer to the fire and peered intently at Inuyasha's face.

"Feh," he muttered, face flushing, "it's why it hurts. I think Myoga-jijii would know more about it. He was after all quite obsessed with my old man."

"Did your Okaa-san have something like this too?"

"Shut up, will ya!" Inuyasha's icy look was a clear warning to not go down that road. She wasn't very good at heeding warnings, or at least rather ignored them and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Well?"

"What is it with you and your sister not respecting anyone's privacy? Ofukuro wasn't strong enough to wear something like that." He answered stiffly and Chiharu nodded.

"I see,"

Inuyasha crossed her is arms over his chest and jumped back into his tree. He didn't trust her. He didn't have to and Chiharu curled up on her sleeping bag. The child snuggled against her arm and as his essence floated over her, she felt her eyes droop as well.

I-I. ⌡. Γ┐

"Wench, wake up!" Someone screamed suddenly and Chiharu bolted upright. Shippō jumped from his place on the sleeping-bag on her lap and they both stared at their Hanyō companion as he jostled Kagome in her sleeping bag.

"Get your arse out of bed, right now!" Inuyasha snapped and Chiharu rolled her stiff shoulders. Kagome's face had scrunched up in what she could only describe as anger and it was only a matter of time before Inuyasha found himself reacquainted with the forest floor.

"Is this normal?" Chiharu asked and Shippō shrugged and jumped to the shore of the river. The water was running merrily and looked somewhat inviting. She glanced at her sister again. The older girl was sitting up straight, rubbing her fists against bleary eyes before glaring at Inuyasha.

"Osuwari!"

Chiharu winced when the sound of someone crashing into the ground echoed through the silent morning. "You bitch!"

"Erm Inuyasha," Chiharu asked, hoping to mediate an argument before it started. "Do you think you could get us some firewood?"

"Whatever for?" he asked indecorously.

She rolled her eyes. Except so that he could leave and not be sat again, "To prepare breakfast?"

He mauled that over before nodding. Kagome was on her feet slipping onto her black loafers dragged her backpack closer to the fire, taking out four instant cups of ramen out. Chiharu was somewhat worried how much the older girl carried with her in that yellow monster.

"I'm going home," she suddenly announced and Inuyasha's cheeks turned a bright red.

"The hell you are!"

"But I have important mock exams." She countered. Chiharu exhaled. How she missed worrying about things like mock exams. "Please just three days, I need to study as well."

"Do you actually like these 'tests' that much?" Inuyasha snapped and Kagome flushed a deep red.

"No, of course, I don't like them!"

Mirōku had hiked up his robes and was now standing in the water, ignoring the quarrel that was to come. He and Shippō were both looking for fish. Chiharu eyed the water and kicked her slippers off. Asking Inuyasha to get some firewood had only been to get him away as the fire was still going strong. She blew a lock of hair out of her face pushed the legs of her hakama up past her knees. Shippō squealed as she splashed him a bit and Mirōku went face-first into the cold water when he sneaked up behind her. Their laughter was soon the only thing audible in the small clearing and after some urging from Mirōku, who had taken shelter on the rocky shore, they caught some fish as well.

The sun was already appearing in the East and Chiharu straightened her Haori before dropping the fish on the rocks. She shook her feet free of the excess of water and slipped into her slippers again. From the corners of her eyes, she noticed something red flashing by and watched Inuyasha settle on one of the branches. He wasn't moving anymore, just observing.

"Hn," Shippō suddenly jumped on her shoulder and she reflectively caught him, "What are those?"

She scrunched her nose up as the slight scent of men came to her and she cocked her head when she followed Shippō's pointing finger. Something was floating down the river and she gasped when she realised multiple human heads caused a sudden change in scent.

"Oh Kami," she whispered softly as Shippō pressed his small face in the crook of her neck. After the last two or three months, she still wasn't very used to all the death and violence she'd seen. Mirōku crouched down at the river bank and, Chiharu shuddered, picked one of the heads out of the water.

"A battle upstream, no doubt." He said and she carefully inched closer, peeking at the peaceful expression the man wore in death. "We must put these poor souls to rest and—"

"What's wrong?" Kagome had cautiously come closer.

"These heads, there are no marks, no cuts."

"That's not possible," Chiharu muttered. "They smell human and I'm pretty sure humans normally have torso's and limbs attached to the heads."

"Okay," Kagome suddenly said, clapping her hands together. "Let's go and investigate."

"Did you fall on your head?" Chiharu asked her older sister. "We don't know what's doing this."

"And weren't you going home?" Inuyasha cut in.

"He's got a point there," Chiharu added.

"You two can't be serious!" Kagome huffed. "I can't study like this. Besides, it has to be the work of a Youkai. We can't let it just keep killing innocent people."

"No, but can't we at least think of a plan?" she asked her older sister slowly. "You know figure out what we're up against and come up with a plan, with a plan b and a plan c?"

"We just follow the river upstream." Kagome shrugged.

"The youkai might be doing this with the aid of a Shikon shard." Mirōku piped up and Kagome nodded.

"I'm pretty sure we would have known if it was indeed acting under the power of a Shikon shard," Chiharu mumbled, reluctantly following after her elder sister and the questionable Hōshi. Chiharu closed her eyes and sniffed the air, nose pointing upwards towards the sky. There were too many scents to really make out what the human scent was coming from and she exhaled tiredly.

"You have to focus on the scent you're looking for." Shippō piped up from his spot on her shoulder. "What are you focusing on?"

"The human scent…"

"There are a lot of humans. You have to sniff out the difference. You know, how Mirōku and Kagome-chan smell different. That's what you focus on. You try to memorise someone's scent. When you're tracking someone you have to know the differences between people. Else if you focus on human smell, in general, you won't get anywhere."

"Who taught you, skirt?" Inuyasha grumbled.

"My Oji-sama!" Shippō announced proudly and Chiharu rubbed the little boy affectionally behind his ear.

"I'm sure he was a great teacher."

"How would you know?" he whispered softly.

"Because you're a great kid." Chiharu decided on and Shippō beamed. They'd started to climb a mountain and the higher they got the foggier it became. A soft drizzle had started, creating silver puddles and an ominous feeling settled in her stomach. The drops were so ambient falling on her skin with the promise of the coldness of the season ahead. She shivered.

Soft voices came from ahead. Chiharu's sister was the first to get to a small clearing and gasp. When Chiharu reached it she felt her mouth fall open. A large tree in the middle of the clearing, the slope of the mountain on one side and the beginning of the river on the other, dominated her view. That on itself wasn't what shocked her though, and as she noticed the heads growing on the tree she hugged Shippō tightly to her chest.

"What the hell?" she whispered.

"What is this?" Kagome asked horrified.

"It… It's got heads." Shippō announced loudly, small nails digging into Chiharu's arms as the child shuddered.

Mirōku exhaled loudly before approaching the tree. "Tell us, please, what has happened? Who are you?"

The heads slowly started their tale. The disembodied once were part of a normal human body, just as they had expected and when the humans had been tired with their lives as they were, they had moved to the mountain. The mountain where the Sennin lived and what was said to be paradise, but soon they'd learned it wasn't and they only were to be food for the Peach Man, a Sennin who took pupils.

"He says, he's a Sennin," one of the heads corrected.

"He can't be," Chiharu whispered, "He must have been a Youkai looking like a human."

"Bunch of fools," Inuyasha muttered and Chiharu frowned, gazing up at the mountain. She wasn't sure, but she did think she sensed a Shikon fragment now.

"Something's falling—" Inuyasha suddenly piped up. Chiharu heard it too and she took a step back, away from the mountain. They clattered by the roots of the tree. She slowly inched closer and for the umpteenth time, that day gasped.

"They're human bones," Shippō whispered and Chiharu nodded, sniffing the air carefully. The scent of copper was strong.

"They're fresh," Mirōku said and she nodded again.

Rubbing at her neck she watched as the bones were absorbed by the tree roots and a new old grizzled head appeared. "It's the head of the former owner of the bones." One of the heads unnecessarily explained. "We're called the Ninmenka, human-head-fruit. We are the medicine of eternal youth for Tōkajin."

"Call him what you want, he's a nasty yōkai, ain't he?" Inuyasha snapped, leaping up and began bounding up the mountain. "Stay here, if I take you up one-by-one, the day will be over by then."

Chiharu frowned and watched him disappear over the rocks above. "What happens at the end of this day?"

"What?"

"Nee-chan, what is so important at the end of this day that he can't have the delay?"

"It's the night of the new moon," Shippō explained softly, carefully. "At that night, Inuyasha loses his powers."

"Oh," Chiharu whispered, for what else could she say and stared up at the mountain. "Oh— Shit!"

 _To be continued..._

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 **A/N: And here is chapter seven. Not much about Sesshomaru, but there is some action. I remember the episodes and the chapters in the manga about the Sennin really well. I did loosely base this chapter (and the next one) loosely on the InuYasha manga chapter 79. I don't think I copied much of the conversations, although I did try to keep everyone in character. I hope you all enjoyed it. Like always let me know what you think^^**

 **InuYasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi**


	9. Chapter 8, intertwined

**A/N: And here is chapter eight. Thank you for all the lovely reviews. I hope you'll enjoy this chapter as well, and like always enjoy this one as well. Let me know what all of you think.**

 **To answer one of the questions from one of my guest reviewers: I'm not sure if K** **ō** **ga's ever going to be interested in Chiharu, but he will be interested in Kagome, just as in canon. But he might be more likely to use Chiharu for his own interests. Though, I won't make any promises (I might have forgotten him, until you mentioned the Wolf-prince…)**

 **InuYasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi.**

 **Enjoy chapter eight and let me know what you all think! Reviews are greatly appreciated.**

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 **o.O.o**

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 _ **Chapter Eight, Intertwined**_

' _I'm an enigma, an unknown. You can't really figure out what I'm going to do next. I like it that way.' — Emmitt Smith_

 **O** n the gentle sloping ground of the cliff, watching out over the largest river in miles, sat a large palace shrine, usually hidden from view by a thick, damp mist. When Chiharu had been small she had insisted on her own birthday party just as Kagome had insisted on hers and, considering creativity wasn't their parents main skill, they always had the same birthday parties every year.

On Kagome's birthday party they went bowling and visited a karaoke box close to their last home, and on Chiharu's birthday party their parents took the twin girls and their friends to a climbing wall. Considering they took them to these places and considering Chiharu had always liked sports, going to the climbing wall was the best day in the year each year. The moulded features and coloured route markers had never interested her much as long as she was the first to arrive at the top.

So when faced with a high mountain to get to the Sennin it was a given that Chiharu chose to climb. And that went well enough, considering her stronger endurance and even with Sesshomaru's Youki, which Chiharu considered probably had changed her DNA enough to empower faster healing (which she did), than yes, she could say she was doing reasonably well. That was if she forgot she wasn't wearing the proper climbing equipment she'd normally used and if she hadn't been carrying the extra load that was her sister.

"You're doing so good, Chiharu-chan." Kagome whispered, arms and legs locked around her sister as if she was her lifeline (she probably was).

"I hope you do realise that if we fall, I'm going to survive it, while you might not and I'll have to explain to mama and to Jii-san why you're not coming home, right?"

"Don't be pessimistic." Kagome lectured. "You're almost there."

Chiharu glanced up at the foggy cliff above her and exhaled. If she made it she was going to strangle Miroku. Apparently emitting hostile youki meant she was capable to carry her sister up a mountain. Her grip on her reiki faltered for a moment, just as pushed herself up the gentle slope of a cliff and she gasped. Shippou landed next to her panting loudly and Miroku had gone as pale as a sheet. Kagome scrambled to the low hanging bush and momentarily lay there, her school skirt scarcely covering past the swell of her hips. Chiharu still did not understood why her older sister insisted on wearing her school uniform. The large palace shrine was standing in front of them.

"Dear God," she whispered, "we actually made it."

As her Reiki thrummed through her blood, she gasped flopping back on her back and grounding her jaws together. _His_ hostile aura washing over her

"Chiharu-chan?"

Miroku scrabbled towards her and she had to bat his hands away. "Just go." She gasped. It would pass. It always did.

"We can't leave you here you—" her older sister started but clamped her mouth shut when Chiharu glared at her.

"No, I'm fine." She gasped. "Just need a moment. "Go right ahead, my nose will find you." She said, and as they disappeared through the door she started to massage her temple. "Or at least I think my nose will find you. Considering my luck I'll probably run into that Sennin-guy before I run into you lot, but that's all fine and dandy."

Her breathing remained laboured for a few minutes. When she finally felt good enough, reiki once again pushed back, she slowly sat up. The sun had nearly completely set and she rubbed her hands together in worry. She wasn't entirely sure what she should expect with Inuyasha turning human, but his scent had been slightly off.

Hair falling loosely around her shoulders she carefully slipped inside of the palace shrine. Small brown weasel like creatures looked up, startled. She brushed her hair out of her face and passed them with quick steps, ignoring their surprised faces. Her sister's scent had suddenly stopped and she frowned when she noticed the large piece of the Shikon-No-Tama lying carelessly on the floor. Picking it up, she slowly pointed her nose in the air — like she'd seen Inuyasha do many times before — and sniffed delicately. Her scent was still in the room, around the large garden box, but yet she was nowhere around. As she sniffed again the scent of blood, coppery and heavy in the air filled the room and she also noticed the sound of heavy feet beating against stone floor, coming closer. Glancing around she pressed herself hurriedly against the wall next to the wooden door and, as the door missed her face by inches she slipped past a large fat man with sandy hair and a strange looking staff.

She didn't doubt that must have been the Sennin, but as the scent of blood grew stronger (and it was familiar as well), she hurried away. The palace shrine was a bit of a maze and if was only because of luck being on her side and effectively tracking the scent of blood that she found herself on a wooden landing in front of another door. The wood creaked softly and she frowned again as she inhaled deeply. It was Inuyasha's, yet it wasn't…

Shaking her head to clear it from the confusing unproductive buzz, she glanced at the door again. It was scratched and dented with chipped varnish and the brass coloured lock was oxidised with time. Tired of running behind the facts she quickly kicked the door in. Watching her little brother play his video games actually payed off as the door slammed against the wall. She slowly stepped in the darkened room, glancing around as her only source of light was provided by a small diffuse ray of fire light.

A boy, a long mane of black hair and dark brown eyes, was captured in large thorny vines. She slowly stepped closer sniffing him probably not as ladylike as her mother would have liked and gasped.

"Inuyasha?"

His eyes, slightly glazed, came into focus immediately. His eyes widened and his struggles momentarily intensified. "You?"

Blood ran freely from the wound created by thorns digging into his pale human flesh and grabbed his arms trying to hold him still. "Stop! You're only bleeding yourself out like this."

Ignoring the slight drum of fear, adrenaline and worry working its way up her bloodstream she pulled an arrow out and started to cut one arm free, trying to not hurt him any further. Blood was quickly spreading over his clothing drenching his apple red clothes a deep scarlet.

"Quicker!" He snapped. "Where are the others?"

"I don't know, they hid themselves. You should consider it a miracle I found you and— Oh For Kami's sake who cares," she muttered to herself, notching an arrow on her bow she took a step back and aimed at the ceiling where the vines seemed to be coming from.

His face paled quite a bit and she grounded her jaws together as her reiki intensified the almost dormant tingles up her spine. She concentrated, drew the string back and released the arrow. It sizzled loudly when it struck and just like that one time when she'd slightly lost the control over her magic the vines started to dissolve as Reiki and something else, something darker ate at the greenery. She clumsily caught him when the vines around his arms and legs dropped away. The vines seemed to have literally sucked out part of his blood as a dark coppery smelling liquid joined the fallen drops of Inuyasha's blood and she draped his arm around her shoulders and pulled up to his feet.

"We need to find Kagome," he wheezed and she nodded.

"I know," she whispered. "I'm just— I don't smell her blood, that's a scent that's easy to follow, but I can track her. I think."

"What?"

She hadn't heard him coming. She wasn't paying attention to the clear footsteps beating against the floor and she felt her face pale.

"Another one?"

The Sennin was ever larger up front than from his back. He had a large protruding belly, barely covered by a dark kimono top and a fur vest. His hideous face was scrunched up in though (he didn't look very bright) and as Chiharu looked him up and down in disgust, she noticed the bright gleam of a Shikon shard in his belly.

"What do you mean another one?" the Hanyō snapped. "What did yeh do to Kagome!"

"What do you think I did?" He asked sarcastically. "What humans are good for, I ate her."

"You what—" Inuyasha leaped at him and Chiharu almost dropped face first to the floor as he accidentally dragged her with him.

"No, wait I don't smell any blood or gore on him. At least not my sister's." Chiharu whispered as she dragged the now human boy back.

"That doesn't matter. He doesn't need to smell like blood. He uses some kind of sorcery that shrinks you."

"I—"

Her school clothes, the green school skirt and the red scarf of their uniform jacket fell to the floor as Tōkajin stepped forward. Chiharu felt her grip on the Hanyō slack and for a moment it was like all of her senses were numb, not registering anything around her. He had eaten her sister— He had—

Tōkajin grinned dangerously sweeping a large fist at the dark-haired boy and slammed him in the wall. "I'll kill you, you bastard!"

She felt it literally rip at her as pure undiluted anger worked itself in her bloodstream. She felt it scorch at her limbs and settle heavily into her finger tips. She drew back so fast she thought the string of her bow might snap and released the arrow, pushing so much force, all of her bottled-up emotions into it. It flared a swathe of brilliant light and Tōkajin had only a second to throw himself out of the way. The crack was ear-deafening and the wall crumbled under the fury that was her cackling power. A large part of the roof clapped down and barely missed Inuyasha as he crawled hurriedly over to her and she felt her aura blow erratically against her skin. Another wall and perhaps even one behind that collapses down as well and when it did, a large plume of dirt expanded up in the air. A large chunk of concrete had slammed into the Sennin's head and he didn't move anymore.

Chiharu gasped and slowly sank to the floor, her shoulders slumping and her body momentarily stunned into a numb silence. A few dark strands of hair had escaped from her pony tail and hung loosely around her face. Blank-faced and pale, Inuyasha stared at her. A large part of the palace shrine was wracked, the roof gone, partly collapsed on it self and debris covering the floor.

The excitement of the anger from earlier had drained her a bit and now the reality crashed down onto her. She had done that. She'd take down half of the house, walls shrinking as her _magic_ was dissolving it. She had done this, in a fit of rage. And Kagome—

"Hold on Kagome!" Inuyasha cried, his voice somewhat high-pitched and his eyes wide when he scrambled towards fat man. "I'll slice the bastard open!"

"Inuyasha! He didn't eat her!"

Miroku's voice came from where Tōkajin lay and, although mightily suspicious, she slowly inched closer. She hadn't seen him before. He hadn't been there when she shot her arrow. Was he hurt? Had she hurt him? She paused when she noticed a miniature version of Miroku.

"She wasn't eaten." He cried. "He took her to the kitchen."

"She's all right!" Chiharu whispered catching a miniature version of Shippou as he started to climb up her arm and settled on her collar. "Are you sure? Those are her clothes."

"Yes," Miroku muttered, his tiny face scrunched up as glancing around into what was left of the room and the corridors behind it. "Damn! Definitely shouldn't get on your bad side."

"Sniff her out!" Inuyasha snapped as the girl crouched down and collected her older sister's clothing.

"Right," she mumbled, nose scrunching up as she tried to catch her scent. Miroku pulled himself up on Inuyasha's sleeve and the Hanyō crossed the landing and stumbled off the stairs. Chiharu quickly moved after him and tried to keep him from falling when they descended a second flight of stairs.

Moving through the palace shrine, was tricky. She held her sister's uniform to her chest with one hand, she grasping his arm with the other. While they followed Kagome's scent — strongly mixed with the scent of sake — they heard the roar of fury coming from the Sennin.

"Well, pity he isn't dead." Shippou muttered.

"This way," Chiharu muttered, hauling Inuyasha to a left and down another couple of steps. The part they were in now seemed completely unaffected by the blast that had taken down so much of the shrine and Chiharu sniffed again. She could pick up the clear smell of her sister's scent and as she strained her ears she heard the splashing of water — smelled like sake though — and several heartbeats. "She's here."

"Are you sure, Chiharu-sama?" Miroku asked. She could understand why he was reluctant. Those senses were very new to her. Not to mention that to find her sister's group she had crossed half the country and tracked Inuyasha's group the wrong way for days. Yet, she sniffed again, she was reasonably sure.

"I am," she told them confidently. "Inuyasha, sit down. I'm going to get my sister."

"Feh, the hell you are, wench." The Hanyō snapped even as she forced him down. In human form she was stronger than he was.

"Listen you Baka, she's probably naked and will sit you into next year when you kick the door down. He gave her an annoyed look and she slipped into the room. It was indeed a kitchen, several lower weasel like youkai were bustling around, preparing vegetables and adding more sake to a large basin. Kagome, limbs floating and her head lolled back against the stone basin, sat unconscious in the sake.

With the same startled faces as before the lower level yōkai peered up at Chiharu's face. As she approached her sister, several of them blocked her path, large knives at the ready. She felt that same anger surge through her veins. She had unintentionally faced far larger and far more dangerous yōkai and as one tried to shoo her out of the room with a meat knife she crackled her knuckles.

"Move, or die."

Hair whipping violently about her face as Youki, just as violent as always but for once not aimed at her, swirled around her. It did the trick as many of them screamed and bolted through another exit. She glared at the one who had threatened her (falling over his own feet to get away from her) and stalked towards her sister. She had awakened, eyes wide and mouth slacked.

"Chiharu-chan?" she whispered, voice full of awe. "How?"

"I don't know. I don't care." She answered, her anger still prickling her skin and exciting her senses. "Get out and dress yourself."

"Is that blood?"

She followed her sister's horrified look. The front of her haori and her sleeve were drenched in blood. "It's not mine. Don't look at me like that. It's Inuyasha's. He's hurt and I think we should get out of here."

She nodded slowly, rushed out of the stone basin and redressed. Her cheeks were tinted pink as she found herself without underwear or brassiere and peered up at her younger sister with a fierce scowl. "Where are my shoes and socks?"

"I have no idea." Chiharu answered, slightly amused. "Do you really care?"

"No, I suppose not."

Inuyasha was still seated where she'd left him and his face was pale. Kagome gasped when she noticed him. She knelt by his side, hands smoothing down his sleeves and eyebrows furrowed. "Are you okay?"

"Feh, they're just a few scratches. Nothing to worry about." He muttered before looking at Chiharu. "When does the sun rise?"

She raised her eyebrows. "Erm, I don't know. It was pitch-black when I last looked, but I have no idea what time it is now."

"Use your nose, you idiot girl." He snapped Chiharu roughly pulled his arm around her shoulders. He hissed and she patted his wrist absentmindedly before sniffing the air again.

"Fine, what am I supposed to smell, oh-so-patient-teacher?"

"What do you smell?"

"Your blood," she told him point-blank, eyeing him. They were moving again, crossing the kitchen and stepped through the other exit. The palace shrine was even bigger than she'd intentionally thought. She took a deep breath again and tried to focus on something else than the coppery scent that clung to Inuyasha. "I think I smell some medicine…"

"That's me too."

"Than what am I supposed to smell?"

"The grass, fresh water, wet leaves, anything you associate with outside." He told her. Kagome swallowed audible, arms crossed over her chest and Miroku clung to the sleeve of Inuyasha's kosode. Chiharu chewed on her cheek and felt her ears twitch when she heard grasshoppers chirp and an owl hoot.

"I think it's still night." She whispered. "I think I heard an owl."

"Fuck!"

"Chiharu-chan," her older sister whispered slowly. "Exactly what did you mean with sharper senses?"

"Erm, they're a lot sharper I think." Chiharu admitted.

"Of course they are," Inuyasha muttered. "That's the Youki. It changes one's biology. It's why it's just not done."

"I thought it was not done, because humans normally don't survive." Miroku piped up.

"No, it's not done because the match between ningen and yōkai is looked down upon. Not to mention that it should have killed her."

"When we get out of this and assuming we're alive, teach me." She suddenly said, hoisting him more comfortably up against her.

"What?"

"Obviously these things, these senses are mine now. I'll only be a nuisance if I don't know how to work with them, so teach me." She told him. Her senses were a lot sharper than a human's — even thinking that felt weird — and right now they overwhelmed her too much to be helpful. She heard and smelled so much, she wasn't sure what she was supposed to concentrate on and if she could work with them than Sesshomaru would loose the hold he had on her.

"Erm, okay," Inuyasha muttered his face flushing beat-red and Kagome grumbled under her breath. "I suppose I could do that."

"Good,"

They stumbled through the building, Inuyasha's limb getting worse and his face pale. The palace shrine was like a labyrinth, designed to stop the Sennin's pupils to not escape their prison. Despite the Hanyō's grumbling, he had to sit down, slacking down the rough wall and slumped onto one of the steps. Kagome rubbed her hands together and peered down the darkened corridor.

"I'm going to look around for a way out. There has to be—" Chiharu started when suddenly she heard footsteps coming up a set of stairs she couldn't see. The shikon shard, that was embedded in his bellybutton, shone brightly and the stench of human corpses wafted to her nostrils. The door to their right bursted open and before she could even say anything a wooden staff slammed into her temple and she fell backwards, down the stairs. She rolled down the last few steps, her head ringing when her cheek slammed into the rocky wall.

When she came to, someone was pillowing her head on his or her lap. Someone was gripping her hand when she became aware of a soft ache at her temple. She blinked rapidly, trying to clear her foggy vision. Kagome's worried face came into vision.

"You're all right?"

Chiharu blinked again. The ache was already dulling and her vision sharpening. "I'm fine. Let me get up!"

They were in a small room, with one window. Large pots were stowed at one wall and an old rug decorated the floor. Torches hung at the wall providing a dim orange light. The door to the room was closed, yet she heard footsteps behind it. As she sat up the door burst open. Someone slammed down onto the floor and the torch nearest to the door fell down the wooden floor, extinguishing when one of the pots tipped over and a transparent liquid sipped into the creaks of the floorboards. Something round or oval rolled to the other side of the room, stilling against the wall but she couldn't identify it.

They were only shapes, as her eyes adjusted to the change of light. She realised the Sennin had found the room she'd been dragged into and Inuyasha, white faced and bloodied was trying to fight Tōkajin off. The large Sennin was commanding his leafy staff, creating huge, vines with sharp thorns. They were larger than the ones she had encountered before, but just like the ones before they tried encasing themselves around Inuyasha. She got shakily to her feet, stumbling to the open window in front of her, catching herself on the railing. They were high up, at least forty feat. It was a sheer drop down and Chiharu didn't think they could have climbed down even when the Sennin hadn't found them.

Long green vines trailed over the floor, like deathly creepers and the Hanyō howled when the thorns ripped open his back and Chiharu winced.

"You evil, horrible—" Kagome started, her face flushed in her anger.

The Sennin glanced at her with dull, dark eyes and shrugged. "I'm not evil, I just wanted to get stronger."

"You're insane, that's what you are. You don't have any respect for human life either." Chiharu huffed, glancing at Inuyasha. "Let me rephrase that, you don't have any regard for anyone else's life at all."

"Humans are worthless," the Sennin whispered and Chiharu curled her fingers into a fist and glared at the large man in front of them. Kagome bodily forced Inuyasha to a saver place against the wall. "They're born helpless. They slave away in filth from morning to night, only to grow old and die. Both my mother and my old man croaked like that. I wasn't going to live in such a pathetic way."

"You're human?" she whispered her regard for him vanishing even more. He chuckled harshly and she felt a prickle of anger settle itself heavily into her limbs. A somewhat familiar tingle ran up her limbs and pressed her lips together. "You're human, yet you eat other humans because you didn't want to grow old and actually contribute to society?"

"Whats wrong with the strong eating the weak? It's the same as a snake eating a frog!"

"Generally snakes eat frogs for food, not out of some misplaced feeling of superiority, you Baka." She snapped back. The creepers were starting towards her, but the magical aura had worked itself around her pushing them back.

"Go ahead and get her angry," she heard Inuyasha whisper but his words barely registered.

"Why don't you look at the flowers?" the Peach man whispered lightly, waving his staff again. Small flowers drifted around her but Chiharu didn't care much for them, notched an arrow and glared at the Peach man.

"Why don't you _feel_ my arrow!" She snapped back, releasing the arrow. He seemed to have learned not to take her arrows lightly and jumped out of the way before sending the large creepers at her again. The arrow lodged itself into the floorboard. The spiritual power ate at his staff and the creepers designated under her pressure. Tōkajin ground his teeth together as he slowly got up to his feet and Chiharu glared at him.

His flowers were gone. She was unsure what they were supposed to do and Shippou whimpered from his spot on her shoulder. "How do you like it when someone else is stronger than you?" She hissed. "You don't seem to handle spiritual power very well."

He suddenly lunged at her. She didn't have the time to notch another arrow, but she did have enough time to raise her arms in front of her head. Except for a few beginners classes in karate when she was a child, she had no experience with hand-to-hand combat and jumped uselessly out of the way. She wasn't fast enough though and it was only because of Inuyasha, suddenly pushing her out of the way and taking the full brunt of the Sennin's attack that she escaped unscathed.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome's voice echoed dauntingly off against the ceiling. Inuyasha was flung through the room, harshly slamming into one of the large jars at the other end of the room. It broke open, spilling the same odd smelling liquid from before, but this time Chiharu recognised the oval things that rolled over the floor. Several empty eyes glanced back at her and she reeled when she looked at the human heads.

"My medicine," Tōkajin muttered.

The shards of the earthy pot were sprinkled over Inuyasha's body and he slowly stumbled to his feet and in an unfocused moment he drove the rusty point of his Tetsusaiga sword into the socket of Tōkajin's left eye. The cannibal howled in pain and anger. With a snarl of anger he slammed his huge rocky fist into Inuyasha once more. A sickening crack followed and Kagome screamed when his arm dropped uselessly to his side, bend in an odd angle.

"Chiharu-chan!" Kagome cried. "The Shikon-shard!"

"I'm going to rip you apart!" The Sennin hissed.

She notched another arrow on her bow and peered at his back. With a furious cry she released the arrow with all of her bottled up emotions, beams of purple light exploding from within her. Kagome emitted a terrible high-pitched little shriek as the arrow struck Tōkajin. The Sennin howled in pain as the energy burned through him and the shikon-shard dropped from his belly-button. Large rips and gashes ran over his body and as invincible as he'd seemed, blood gushed out of the newly formed wounds. He dropped down, face to the wooden floor and momentarily didn't move. Her older sister squealed, crossing the room and throwing both arms around her neck.

"You did it! You're bloody scary doing it as well, but you did it!"

"Is he dead?" She softly whispered.

Inuyasha had struggled to his feet and suddenly Tōkajin charged at them. "How dare you!" Both sisters cried out, eyes wide and backs hit the windowsill. There was nowhere to move but out and Chiharu arms shook when she felt the strange aura churn around her body again.

"Duck!"

Inuyasha came flying after the Sennin and, as the girls fell to their knees, he used his entire body weight and the momentum, sending Tōkajin out of the window. Chiharu and Kagome both gasped loudly when the Hanyō went after him over the railing and down the cliff.

"No!" Kagome howled loudly. The girl crossed the room, jumped over the debris and the still smoking creepers and ran towards the door. The sun was slightly peeking over the horizon from the East and Chiharu slowly got up from her crouched down position and peered down the cliff. It was certainly fifty feet down and as a human… she shuddered. She couldn't see them, both fallen below the layer of fog that still hovered a few feet above the ground.

"Chiharu-chan?"

"Yes," she whispered, hurrying out of the room as well. She paid no heed to the creepers, still withering around, or the debris that covered the floor. She did however remember to pick up the shikon shard, dropping it in the jar, with the other ones she carried, and started to look for the exit. Luckily she found a pathway that didn't require any rock-climbing skills and soon she was sprinting down a long set of stairs. When she finally reached the ground, Shippou had returned to his normal size, apparently the magic that shrunk him only worked in the palace shrine and she felt her shoulders lock together when her eyes fell upon the Sennin. He lay still next to the sole tree with the heads, in a pool of his own blood. She froze.

Tiny claws bit into her shoulders and Shippou started to shake. "Is he dead?"

"Come help me!" Kagome demanded shrilly. "We have to save him. The Sennin fell right upon him and—"

"Kagome, if he did… Falling from such height, with all those injuries, as a human. There's no way he could have survived that, but with the Sennin—"

"He probably died without regrets Kagome-sama. He wanted to save you—" Miroku, back to his normal height and size as well, opted unhelpfully as, Chiharu walked over to the Sennin. He was lying face down, his back covered in scratches and burns. She wasn't sure if she could flip him over. Even without being death weight, the Sennin had been huge.

"I didn't ask for this!" Kagome cried grief-stricken, her cheeks flushing to a dark red and slowly Chiharu tried pushing him over. The sun was finally reaching above the mountains and the morning air was cool and damp. "He kept fighting even when he was so hurt. That idiot."

"Yes, he was an idiot." Miroku considered.

"The biggest of them all!" Shippou wailed and with a grunt, magic empowering her limbs, she heaved the Sennin up and rolled him on his back. Except from the large crater originated from the impact of the fall, there was no Inuyasha.

"Erm, guys?"

"Who. Are. You. Calling. An. Idiot?" Inuyasha's furious voice interrupted.

The Hanyō lowered himself out of the trees with the heads. He was still looking as if he had an altercation with a bus, but other than that Inuyasha looked almost fine. His appearance had reverted back to normal. That was if you didn't count the furious expression that had twisted his expression.

"Hell, you really had an angel on your shoulder." Chiharu whispered as the others fussed around him.

She suddenly realised that the pain had been gone. It had been gone since the moment she blew up half of Tōkajin's house. Rolling her shoulders she exhaled loudly. They were gone. Right now it didn't matter much, but as she took the stairs leading down back towards the river-mound, it certainly did make moving easier.

 _To be continued…_


	10. Chapter 9, A face like mine

**A/N: Thank you very much for all of those lovely reviews. They were greatly appreciated and I definitely love them. To answer the questions of my guest readers:**

 **Right now, I'm somewhat unsure. Technically was Naraku a human turned Hany** **ō** **. I suppo** **se Chiharu could be considered a hanyō (** **although not completely) so any child of them (and I'm speculating right now, so it might change when we're further into the story because I haven't written that part yet) would not be fu** **lly yōkai, yet not a hanyō either. And yes, Sesshōmaru would** **definitely scoff at Inuyasha's teaching style. He scoffs at everything Inuyasha-related.**

* * *

 **o.O.o**

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 **Either way enjoy this new chapter.**

Chapter Nine, A face like mine

 **T** he sun had progressively climbed up in the air, yet the warm light was mostly shielded by dark, ominous clouds that had rolled in. The large tree with the human heads as fruit was veiled in the lightest of mist and the trunk a sombre brown with slight cracks that gnarled into the bark. It wasn't really all that bothering to Chiharu but as she gazed at her older sister, she realised the girl shivered and blinked rapidly.

"Are you sure you're all right?" Chiharu slowly asked, reiki and youki twirling around her. She felt somewhat jittery and rubbed her hands together. The two powers were for once not hostile against the other, although not complete either, circling around her, making her limbs tingle. "You fell a long way down and wasn't your arm broken?"

"Feh, just a scratch! I'm already healed." Inuyasha snapped. "I told you lot not to fucking worry about me."

"Yeah, sure," Chiharu muttered. "Don't worry. It's not like you were slowly bleeding out in a human form or anything."

"Sarcasm doesn't fit you, Chiharu-sama."

"I don't agree."

The monk stared at her for a moment before shrugging his shoulders and walking forward. Kagome wriggled her hips as she tugged her skirt lower, trying to keep some decency and Chiharu realised she still wasn't wearing any underwear, or socks for that matter.

"Erm, Onee-chan?" she asked slowly stepping up next to her. "Your bag is over there, don't you have spare clothes?"

The girl's eyes widened almost comically, as if she hadn't even considered that possibility and inched away. She shouldn't have bothered as both men in their group were otherwise engaged. Inuyasha was rolling his shoulders and crackling his joints while Miroku peered at him.

"You probably should have a bath, Inuyasha." Miroku piped up, eyes flitting over his form. "You're covered in more than just your blood, aren't you?"

Inuyasha glared at Miroku before crossing his arms over his chest. Miroku shrugged smiling as Shippou jumped on his shoulder. The adorable fox-child smiled widely when they slowly started to move.

"Where are we going?" Kagome asked slowly.

Inuyasha sighed. "A hot spring. There is one this way."

The girl squealed When they finally left, they were shocked into silence when Tōkajin's body dissolved and the heads up in the tree transformed into normal looking fruit under a loud hissing sound. Miroku, the ever knowing Miroku, explained that with the death of the Sennin, his spell had been broken and all of the cursed spirits had been released. She watched the dust fill the air and the fog slowly dissipate. It was rather strange. At least with the Sennin gone, the sounds of birdsong from the high trees in the forest was once again audible.

They followed the river down the gentle slope of the mountain and Chiharu watched the rocky mountain stone change into high grass and eventually stretch out in large trees. The light of the sun fell in streaks through the boughs in both brilliant and shadowy beams. The trunks of fallen trees lay on their sides and now and then bushes rustled by the movement of mammals. Her footsteps were swallowed by the coat of leaves that had fallen the past few weeks, resembling an old painting rather than the nature she was used to back at home.

The unusual group passed several villages with large rice pads, fields full of cows and sheep and eventually stopped near a large hot spring, surrounded by hight boulders and soft swaying trees. From the distance she heard the water flow quietly and she smiled. She smelled the scent of what she supposed was magma and what had been around almost all the springs she had encountered so far.

"This way," Inuyasha explained. They followed the white-haired boy down a path until he stopped next to some boulders. Kagome squealed, clapping her hands together, and slowly scrambled closer.

"There's really a hot spring!" she cried out and Chiharu rubbed her hands together.

She hadn't had a hot bath in weeks. To get clean, she dipped into the cold water of rivers and relatively clean ponds. It hadn't been pleasant, almost freezing to death and washing herself swiftly. There hadn't been much modesty in bathing in a river or a pond.

"I can't believe it!" Chiharu whispered, "A hot spring."

"Yeah, yeah," Inyasha muttered, rolling his shoulders. "Go ahead and soak already!"

Kagome nodded. She was already getting her bathing supplies from her monstrous yellow bag, Inuyasha headed into the forest.

"Where's he going?" Shippou asked shrugging out of his fur vest.

"Probably cleaning himself up." Miroku said, undoing the knot of his robes on his neck and both the Higruashi sisters stared at him.

"What are you doing?" Chiharu slowly asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Getting ready to bathe with you beautiful ladies!" He grinned lecherously.

"If you do as much as peek I'll shoot you." Kagome promised him darkly and Chiharu gave her an amused look. "I mean it Miroku!"

He raised his hands in defence and Miroku slowly inched away. Kagome rolled her eyes and cradled her bathing supplies into her arms. Chiharu climbed up the tumble of rocks, scratching Shippou behind his ears, and they entered the hot water slowly. She sighed as a shiver ran up her spine and slowly and carefully stepped over the mossy stones. The water swallowed her up to her chest and inclined her head to the side, running her fingers through her damp hair.

She went under, wetting her hair and swimming around, touching the bottom of the hot spring, until she had to come up for air. Shippou weaved through the water, childishly splattering around and yelping happily. Chiharu hadn't seen him act this child-like before and she smiled when he got out of the water only to jump in with a war cry again.

"Chiharu-chan?"

"Hm?"

She had settled against a boulder and sighed contently. It felt so good as her muscles relaxed and the tension that had built there slowly fell away.

"How are you feeling?"

Chiharu curled and uncurled her toes and sunk deeper into the water. "I'm feeling fine," she answered, "I'm not sure for how long but I'm really feeling all right!"

"That's good," Kagome breathed, her eyebrows furrowing together. "I'm sorry this had to happen to you."

"What?"

"I—"

"It's not your fault," Chiharu slowly whispered, "I know you frequently like to blame yourself for all that goes wrong in this world, but it is not your fault."

"Inuyasha thought you came to take the Tetsusaiga for him." Kagome suddenly blurted, her cheeks flushing red and hand clasping over her mouth as she realised what she'd said. "I— I mean—"

"I considered it,"

"What?" Shippou stopped swimming aimlessly through the hot spring and paddled towards her. "What do you mean?"

" _He_ cornered me, almost a week ago. Could make the pain so much worse and— well, I didn't think I could handle it anymore."

"What changed?"

"I don't know," Chiharu admitted. "At first it constantly attacked my body, settled in my limbs and felt like it set every nerve ending on fire. But then, when I had to travel to look for you and I was distracted, had to be, it was manageable. And that was when I realised the grip these pains had on me were slipping. That I could fight it. I decided that that insane Daiyōkai could kiss my bum and that if he wants the bloody sword so much he'll have to get it himself."

"But if he can harm you—" Kagome started, pursing her lips as she thought about the best word.

"I think it was mostly illusionary." Chiharu whispered. "I'm sure this mark isn't as it should be. I overheard Myoga-jij as well, but I think as much as being a Miko made it all so much harder, it might have saved me as well."

"I'm not sure if that thinking is right," Shippou piped up.

"Why not Shippou-chan?" Kagome asked, massaging the shampoo into her scalp.

"Because it's not a full mark."

"A— Right, like being a fiancé for humans I know," Chiharu said, trailing her fingers absentmindedly over the red mark on her throat.

"No, it's not like that." Shippou shook his head biting his lip as he tried to get things straight. "When a mark is incomplete it is dangerous. I think pain is only a phase."

"I don't really understand, Shippou-chan."

He gave her a helpless look as if to say, he didn't either and bit his lower lip. "That mark is incomplete. My Otou-san said that some Yōkai use it to see if a possible mate is worthy enough. If the chosen is strong enough to survive the pains, survive the initial phase, a female is deemed worthy. Then the Yōkai completes it. When the mark is complete or returned or I don't know there are different marks— Well than the mate's youki protects the female— I think."

"But Shippou, this youki isn't mine. Wouldn't that mean this mark is already complete for that?"

"No, that's only the connection." Shippou shook his head. "I suppose you really are strong, but it is still incomplete and that's still dangerous. What will we eat later?"

"Ramen," Kagome answered absentmindedly and rinsed her hair in the warm water. The scent of her shampoo sharp into the air.

Chiharu sunk deeper into the water, bubbles of air escaping from her nose and she watched them pop up on the water surface. Words couldn't express how much she hated Sesshomaru right about now. With a sigh and a tired shake of her head, she emerged from the water, rubbed her body dry with one of Kagome's towels and slipped her Miko tunic back on. She wrinkled her nose at the bright sun and surveyed over the boulders and returned to their campsite. Miroku was on his own, peering at the crackling fire he, or perhaps even Inuyasha, had started.

"Chiharu-sama, you look a bit upset." He observed quietly and she slowly lowered herself on the ground.

"It's nothing," she answered softly, running her fingers through her damp hair, "I'm just a bit tired and annoyed, not with you though, so it's fine! Where did Inuyasha go?"

"Erm," Miroku looked troubled glancing at the boulders that hid the hot spring from view and rubbed his hands together. "I think— he went— hunting."

"I'm sure that is _not_ what he went to do." She answered dryly. "Come on Miroku, where is Inuyasha? His arm was badly broken, I'm not sure if he should skive off this soon by himself."

"Did Kagome-sama tell you about Kikyo?" the Houshi whispered and Chiharu raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, she was Inuyasha's girlfriend before he got sealed to the Go-Shin-Boku." She answered. "She died fifty years ago."

"Yes, and she got resurrected. Even tried to drag Inuyasha off to hell, but now she's hellbent, well, on doing just that actually."

"And Inuyasha went to visit her?" Chiharu whispered back, finally understanding why they had to whisper. Kagome would get upset. She was rather obviously smitten with the Hanyō — no matter how much she liked to deny it — and if Shippou overheard them talking about Inuyasha's past love, she would definitely get upset.

"That's one way to put it."

She stood, instinctively reaching for her bow and arrows and bound her hair together with a red ribbon. "Where are you going?"

"Isn't it obvious, I want to see this woman!" she whispered back. "And it is a good way to try tracking. You know, fight the inevitable."

He gave her a blank look before shaking his head. "What am I supposed to say you are doing?"

"Collecting herbs?"

"Do you even know which herbs you are supposed to collect?" Miroku asked sceptically and once again Chiharu wondered why Kagome didn't try to adapt to this time more than she did.

"Yes," she answered, "I stayed with Kaede-baba for weeks, I know at least a few plants that could come in handy by flues and against aches. Yeah, I definitely know the one that helps against aches."

Before Miroku could comment on that, she took off into the thick foliage. She could hear Miroku mutter to himself — 'If Kagome-sama finds out I let them both go and didn't tell her, she's going to kill me' — and closed her eyes, inhaling slow and deep. Inuyasha had the distinct scent of pines and man and something she couldn't really name and soon she was following that scent — no longer tainted by blood and some disgusting medicine — deeper into the woods. The birds above her head were calling, twittering and pecking. They were loud, bustling around in the last few hours of daylight they had left.

The reddish streaks on the Western horizon signalled the rapid approach of dusk soon long shadows stretched across the path as the sunk sank lower and lower and the forest became denser and denser. Inuyasha's scent had grown the strongest here. Voices were getting clearer and clearer and as she strained her ears a yōkai, long, with eel and insect-like features, passed by.

She later what they were as they barely even looked at her, but shouldn't have wondered, because a moment longer a clear ringing voice answered Chiharu's unanswered question:

"—They're my Shindamachū," a woman's voice explained, Chiharu pulled herself up in a tree and settled on a thick brach gazing out at the firecat-clad Hanyou and a girl who looked a lot like Kagome and Chiharu. Although she did share a strong resemblance to the Higurashi sisters, Chiharu was sure she'd never seen such a stoic expression on either her or Kagome's face.

"Your what?" Inuyasha asked. Even from the distance she recognised the unmasked longing on the boy's face.

"I need them to roam the land of the living." She explained simply. Several of the serpent-like creatures stooped down, bringing with them bright glowing orbs. As the resurrected Miko talked about the land of the living and Kagome's explanation that they _shared_ a soul and that the ties binding Kikyō to this world were unstable at best, she supposed that the serpent-like creatures collected souls to sustain her body.

Chiharu frowned. According to Kagome-oneechan that woman tried to drag Inuyasha to hell the last time they'd seen her, she'd tried to drag him to hell. It seemed that was no longer the goal, now that she knew about the circumstances behind her death. The wind lifted her hair and Chiharu adjusted herself to sit back more comfortable.

"I met him," she whispered, and Inuyasha cocked his head to the side in confusion. "I met Naraku."

The Hanyō bristled visibly and his face turned a tinge pinker. "You met the Bastard? Where is he?"

"Far away, Inuyasha." She whispered. "And just as I suspected, Onigumo is still in there."

"I don't understand."

"He is reluctant to admit it, but I am certain that he has a lingering desire for me. And in an effort to ease that feeling, he's trying to get rid of me." Kikyō whispered. Chiharu lent her arms on her knees and frowned. If _he_ attempted to get rid of her, then _he_ wasn't doing an awesome job.

The words seemed to rile Inuyasha only further up and the death priestess suddenly found herself in the Hanyō's arm. "I can't bare the idea of him touching even a hair on your head." He whispered and Kikyō sighed, returning the embrace.

"Inuyasha, after meeting you I renounced my position as a shrine priestess. I became an ordinary woman. I longed to embrace you like this when I was alive." She whispered, reaching up on her tiptoes to place a chaste kiss on his lips. "We are unable to turn back the hands of time. But let me embrace you like this a little longer."

Chiharu felt like she was intruding and quietly started to turn away. There was a light thud as she landed on the forest floor followed by the barely audible crunch of fallen leaves under sandals and she carefully peeked around the tree. Inuyasha's ears had twitched in her direction and but it was not him who was gazing directly at her. She frowned slightly as she met Kikyō's gaze. The other woman gave her a haughty look and Chiharu realised she must have noticed her earlier. As she made her way down the path, leaving the two lovers to their own devices, she wondered how much of that display of affection was genuine or just for Chiharu's benefit.

She had gotten so used to the influx of power that was the youki swirling around her, she almost missed the other presence. Almost. The hairs on her neck stood on end and she felt a tingle run up her spine. Inhaling softly, she frowned. Except for the strange aura she felt, the scent was strange. Impure, like when blood dripped into water. The air still carried the metallic tang, yet the scent was less sharp. Straining her ears, she jumped up in a different tree.

Ahead the forest trees were thinner. As she used the branches of another tree, she noticed the firm ground gave way to a marsh of tall reeds. The soil was submersed in the water, cackling fondly and the sunlight fell directly onto a trunk.

She wasn't sure what she was looking for in the first place, but as she got into one of the tree, trying to keep her body close to the rough bark of the tree she peered through the leaves. At the base of the large river, surrounded by inauspicious bushes and tall grass, sat a figure, wearing an inconspicuous pelt of baboon. Carefully she inched closer. The bark of the tree branch beneath her feet was damp and covered with a smattering of moss. It didn't feel to slippery, but Chiharu wasn't really used to jumping from tree to tree. She felt her feet slip, her sandal caught by a small notch in the branch and she barely caught herself. His face, hidden by a mask turned her way, but before he could really see her, Inuyasha's voice thundered through the forest.

He didn't seem to notice her and yet when Inuyasha's voice grew louder he took to the air, vanishing in a whirl of miasma. His scent incomplete and impure, yet she stored it to memory. She didn't think his arrival, whatever or whoever he was, was a good thing.

"Chiharu!"

Inuyasha jumped down next to her and she dug her nails in the bark of the tree to keep her balance. His face was flushed and she realised the moment she started following the baboon-wearing stranger's scent Inuyasha must have caught her scent. Rightly deducting that she might have seen him and Kikyō.

"Erm, hello Inuyasha…"

"What do you think ye doing here, Wench!" He snapped, immediately in the defences.

She rolled her eyes and peered at the boy. He looked ruffled, slightly horrified and then his face took on a strange serious expression. His muscles tensed and his pupils dilated before he hissed. She wasn't entirely sure what was going on.

"Naraku!"

"What?"

"He was here," he snapped at her and she suddenly understood.

"The baboon-wearing stranger?"

"Yes, you idiot!" he snapped.

"Now listen here, you two-timing-jerk, _he_ is gone. How was I supposed to know that was Naraku?" She asked exasperated, crossing her arms in front of her chest. Inuyasha's eyes flitted over the tree tops and the water almost frantically. When Naraku didn't jump them from the bushes he slowly hunched his shoulders.

"Where's Kagome?" He asked slowly.

"At camp," she answered, "listen, I'm not going to discuss this with her. You should do that yourself, but don't you think you should be honest with her?"

"She's not my wench." He snapped childishly and Chiharu exhaled loudly.

"You're such a child."

He huffed — very much like a child, thank you very much — and stomped after her as she turned towards the hot spring. She didn't bother telling him it was despicable to string both her older sister and the undead Miko along, but somehow considering that both Kagome and Inuyasha refused to admit they were involved she didn't think any of them could fault him. When they arrived back, Kagome, red-faced and bright eyed, was tying her red scarf in a knot and brushed down the plates of her green skirt. When they were away they had built a fire and a pan of ramen stood steaming on one of the boulders.

Apparently, Inuyasha liked his ramen and even muttered a close affirmative to 'thank you' when Kagome asked him if he wanted some. She sat down next a red-faced Miroku and she frowned.

"What happened to you?" she mumbled.

"My idea to distract Kagome-sama wasn't appreciated." He muttered back and she snorted.

"You mean you tried to grope her?"

At this he nodded slowly and Chiharu accepted a bowl of ramen as well. It was the first dish she had that reminded her of home and she sighed wishfully almost forgetting what she had been talking about. "Why did you try to grope her?"

"She asked me where you two where…" he whispered softly and she nodded.

"Where have you two been?" Kagome asked. There was no way she could have overheard them, but she felt Miroku stiffen. Kagome eyed her younger sister suspiciously.

Chiharu shrugged. "We had a lover rendezvous." She answered sarcastically and Inuyasha chocked on his ramen and his bowl clattered to the ground. Kagome didn't even react and kept her gaze firmly locked on her sister's.

"I see," she simply said before huffily stalking to the other side of the fire and scratched Shippou behind the ears. Covered in spittle and a face so red it matched his robes, Inuyasha glanced at Chiharu and then at Kagome. She laughed. He obviously had no idea how twin girls from the future really acted around each other and, judging by his face, he was in for a bumpy ride.

 _To be continued..._

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 **A/N: And this is chapter nine. It was a more light-hearted one, and I liked it. There isn't much Sesshomaru in it, but obviously he'll come back. Anyway, I decided to centre this chapter about Kikyou and Inuyasha's** _ **relationship**_ **(if you can even call it that).**

 **Right, Chiharu (and mostly me) doesn't think Inuyasha is betraying Kagome, because quite frankly they are not in a relationship. To be honest, I never really understood when they** _ **decided**_ **to start 'dating' each other, and definitely missed it. Anyway I hope you all enjoyed this chapter.**

 **Please leave a review. They are greatly appreciated.**

 **InuYasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi.**


	11. Chapter 10, Taken

**A/N: I'm sorry for being late. I didn't finish this last night, but I'm only one day later than I wanted (so improvement on the time I normally take when I'm delayed). Anyway thank you all so much for the lovely comments! they made me so very happy and I'm glad so many people are enjoying this story.**

 **I will be checking this story the upcoming few days for mistakes and deleted paragraphs (which I definitely did miss, because that's very much something I would miss), but don't worry, I'm not planning on stopping to write the next chapters.**

 **InuYasha belongs to Rumiko Takashi.**

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 **o.O.o**

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 **Chapter Ten, Taken**

' _If you don't practice you don't deserve to win' — Andre Agassi_

 **S** unlight flickered through the fluttering leaves and the trees whispered in the soft breeze. The group had travelled far the past two weeks, through tall leagues of grass, past beautiful waterfalls and past glittering caves. Chiharu and her older sister had travelled home and Chiharu had finally seen her mother, Grandfather and brother again. Passing through the Bone-Eater's Well had been weird.

Going through a haze of a brilliant purple light Chiharu had suddenly found herself standing in their family shrine again. Looking up, she intertwined her fingers together and carefully peered up at her wooden ceiling. Kagome had appeared next to her and had smiled. "You're going to be all right."

"Yes," Chiharu nodded. She knew that and she had said so. "I know."

When their mother's face appeared above them, peering over the edge of the well, Chiharu swallowed excitedly. She hadn't seen her mother in weeks, in months and seeing her then, she wanted to never leave again.

"Chiharu?"

"Mama!"

Her fingers found the first rung and started to climb up the ladder before heaving herself over the lid of the well. She slipped in her haste to get to her mother and wrapped both arms around her.

"I missed you so much!"

"My baby!"

Her mother's hug had been crushing, but Chiharu had returned it fully. She had missed her mother so much. Her Grandfather had stuttered about dangers and special seals and her mother cooked Udon to celebrate that both her daughters had returned home. Of course with the Shikon No Tama still shattered over Japan, that wasn't an option and after a few days both Chiharu and Kagome travelled through the well back to Sengoku-jidai.

"Oi wench!" Inuyasha yelled, suddenly appearing in front of her and pushing her out of the tree. She yelped, slipping before slamming into the forest-floor.

"Inuyasha!"

"Ye were not keeping your eyes on your opponent. Always keep your eyes on your opponent." He told her and she slowly got up to her feet.

"You're an arse." She mumbled, rolling her shoulders.

"You should try to keep up."

"You're a huge arse."

She kicked her stick up in her hands and held it steady with two hands. All morning they had been working on her reflexes. Honing her senses and kicking her feet out from under her for sport. Inuyasha was petty when being a teacher, but at the same time he flourished in it. At first Inuyasha had decided they would work on hand-on-hand combat, but after returning to camp with a broken wrist and a large gash on her shoulder he had come back from that idea. Kagome had sat the hanyō almost straight to America and in retaliation Inuyasha tried to hit her now below the belt so to speak. He was petty like that.

As he charged she successfully evaded him and drove the wooden stick between his shoulder-blades. He landed on the forest-floor with a gruff and she smiled.

"Finally," she mumbled, pressing her back against a tree and holding the stick out in front of her.

Chiharu straightened her tank-top — Inuyasha had actually made a fuss when she'd asked her sister if she could borrow one of those, claiming they were indecent, while after five minutes he had removed his own haori and kosode when she had childishly pushed him in the water — and watched him appraisingly.

She was getting better at fighting. Every morning, she didn't think she could wish for a better biological clock, she woke up at five am and practiced her archery for an hour. She had, once or twice, tried to get her older sister to come with her, but Kagome wasn't a morning person. After that she nagged Inuyasha until he agreed to spar with her another hour. She tried as hard as she could to get the basics down and instead of letting her senses overpower her, she was actually learning how to lean on them and fight with them.

No one said it out loud, but Chiharu knew that ever since their talk at the Hot spring her friends and even her sister worried about her 'so-called corruption'. True, when she fought yōkai harassing villages sometimes things did get out of hand, but Chiharu believed that had more to do with ignorance of fighting and controlling those powers than it had to do with a corruption. Still, better safe than sorry and she twirled on the ball of her feet to avoid getting whacked on the shoulder.

Her speed was growing. She had taken up jogging in the morning (not every morning), to built endurance, and after a couple of days, she stopped sounding like she'd run a marathon when she returned at camp.

"Oi,"

She barely avoided him when he launched at her and squeaked when she toppled backwards into the river (the same where she'd pushed Inuyasha into only twenty minutes ago). When she came up, gasping for air, Inuyasha stood at the river bank, arms wrapped around his middle, letting out a bark of a laugh. She glared. There would be a time where she would get back at him for this.

Inuyasha and Chiharu sparred until both were breathing hard. When the afternoon came, the sun going west and the long yellow beams disappeared behind the tall copse of trees, they returned to the campsite. The wind picked up and in the distance Kagome's and Miroku's voices rose when they returned to camp. It took only one more hour for the sun to completely disappear and the moon rode slowly above the mist that veiled the trees. The birds quieted.

"So how was training?" Sango asked. The older Taijiya had shown Chiharu some of the easier moves a few days ago and the young Miko smiled.

"Not bad," she answered, "Inuyasha is an arse though."

"Feh, it's not my fault you learn slow." He told her tartly. "Even if you're a girl, I ain't going easy on you!"

"Hm, doesn't mean you have to act like an arse…"

Their banter continued lightly, none of them serious as Kagome cooked ramen ('Again?' Shippou muttered under his breath). Sango sharpened her knifes, leaning back against one of the trees and Miroku ran his fingers over his right hand. His cursed hand. As Kagome served them a portion of dinner Inuyasha suddenly shot up and Chiharu smelled it only a few seconds later. The metallic scent of blood. And it was strong, coming from the Northern village.

"Blood!" Inuyasha hissed.

"What?" Kagome almost dropped her pan out of her hands and stared at Inuyasha as if he'd grown a second head.

"A lot of it!"

Sango was on her feet, her great boomeranbone already slung over her shoulder and her slayers outfit on again. Kagome shouldered the large yellow backpack and Inuyasha, annoyed expression on his face, broke off the protruding stem off his branch and grumbled. Chiharu rubbed her hands together and tightened the strings of her quiver on her back. She had hoped for a quiet night without interruptions, but as the scent grew stronger she sighed softly.

"Well, let's go!" Kagome demanded and they were on their way.

Disgust and horror sapped the blood from her face when they stepped through the thick foliage. The village was deserted of life. The wooden huts shattered by some invisible force, doors hanging on a few threads of hinges, the occasional window was still in possession of its glass, but most were devoid of them, the transparent material shattered on the sandy ground.

Blood covered the floor and Chiharu repressed a shudder as she noticed the severed arm, still twitching. It was covered in a layer of blood, the arm recently cut off; veins spilling out of it. The fires had dwindled low and even more bodies, some decapitated and some still in one piece, but with large holes, rips and gashes covering their bodies. It was gruesome to look at.

Chiharu slowly followed after Inuyasha, Sango walking next to her. The village seemed to be dipped into a blanket of silence. The horrendous picture the destruction of the town created an almost melancholy, haunting ghost town. Chiharu felt jittery, peering at dark droplets of blood that created a path away from her. Probably someone who had tried to flee, but, she peered at the arm again, she was sure the person hadn't gotten far. It must have been yōkai considering the extent of the damage that had happened to the humans, while the chickens, horses and even a few cows had been left completely untouched.

"This way!" Inuyasha quickened his pace and soon they found themselves crossing the market place towards the other end of the village towards the forest. The trees here were less high and several were aged. Despite the aged and bleached wood, the trail of blood was easily recognisable. The splatters were well spaced apart and Chiharu suddenly stopped.

"Something is moving our way."

"Shit," Inuyasha whispered. "I smell wolf!"

"Wolf?"

"You know how canines smell?" He peered over his shoulder, fingers already tightly wrapped around the hilt of his katana.

"Yes," she slowly answered inhaling deeply, "I see what you mean."

"What does he mean?" Kagome asked, but Sango had already released her boomerangbone. As a wolf jumped out from the bushes, the large boomerang cut through its body cleanly. As the large weapon bounded back she caught it, rotating on her feet and landing deftly. It had always amazed her, how Sango was capable to use such a large heavy weapon. More wolves came and soon they found themselves surrounded by wolves. Their beaks covered in blood from tearing into the humans back at the village.

Kagome shivered. Chiharu felt it too. There was a vague feeling of the presence of Shikon shards deeper into the forest. "Shikon shards," Kagome whispered. Inuyasha growled glaring at the wolves.

"They're just normal wolves." He told the group. He cracked his knuckles and swept at the wolves, killing them immediately. The surviving wolves were startled and frightened by the sudden turn of tables and retreated from the group. As they disappeared through the foliage and howled loudly. The sound shrill and making the hairs on her arms and legs stand up on end.

"Are they calling for the rest of their pack?" Kagome asked, eyebrows raised.

Chiharu shrugged and then stiffened again, because someone with Shikon shards, was quickly approaching them. A young man, obviously yōkai, bustled through the bushes. He had blue eyes and his dark hair was tied up into a ponytail. He wore a wolf fur head band, a brown wolf pelt as a loin cloth, while a katana hung at his hip. A silver and black cuirass protecting his torso. Chiharu's eyes widened a bit when she noticed the wolf's tail swishing behind his back.

"You killed my wolves!" he snarled and Chiharu cocked her head to the side.

"They attacked us, what did you expect?"

"I'm not talking to you, _girl_." He snapped haughtily, his eyes only once flickered towards her face and fixed on Inuyasha again. His nose wrinkling. "You killed my wolves, I'll never forgive you."

Inuyasha snarled. "They killed who knows how many innocent people, you bastard!"

"So, because of that my wolves should starve to death, then? I was just letting them feed, you mutt!"

Inuyasha looked taken aback, twitching at the insult and suddenly they were swiping at each other. Both boys, because honestly both didn't look even a day older than fifteen, were circling around, Inuyasha swinging Tetsusaiga and the wolf-yōkai — claiming he was named Kōga — moved impossible fast.

The wolf-yōkai jumped up impossible high, easily evading Inuyasha and sent Inuyasha flying back several metres.

"Watch out, Inuyasha!" Kagome screamed. "This wolf-yōkai has Shikon shards in both his calves."

Inuyasha gave her an annoyed look, brushing dust and dirt from his cheek. "Couldn't you have mentioned that before, wench?" he snapped before glaring at the wolf again. "So that's why you're so powerful, and here I was thinking you were really strong. Pah!"

The wolf-yōkai suddenly came Kagome's way and Chiharu stepped in the way, sweeping at him with her bow, before pushing as much mystical power into her hands, curled her fingers and swept them at him as claws. He evaded her as well, his face suddenly close to hers. With _his_ youki strengthening her, she caught his wrist before punching him straight in the face. The wolf-yōkai slammed in the ground and Inuyasha howled.

"Don't you fucking touch her!" Inuyasha snarled, bringing the Tetsusaiga down harshly. The man, the wolf-yōkai, moved aside, his Shikon shards strengthening his speed and suddenly claws struck Inuyasha in his chest.

Kagome screamed, clapping her hands over her mouth as blood spurt out of his chest and Inuyasha growled, blood oozing out from the gash and out between his fingers and he slowly sank back to one knee. She moved as fast as she could, her fist connecting loudly with the wolf-yōkai's face and sent him flying. It made her knuckles tingle and she shook her hand out.

His face turned an ugly red the two boys were charging at each other again. Just as Inuyasha had pushed Kōga away Inuyasha stood back, a determined line suddenly appearing on his face. Kōga was charging at him and suddenly Chiharu noticed something strange flickering between Inuyasha and Kōga. And the wolf-yōkai picked up on it as well and suddenly leapt backwards, running in the direction he came from.

"Something odd is going on, retreat my children!" he cried and the wolves disappeared into the foliage as well.

"What the—" Kagome started and Chiharu nodded dazedly.

"That fucking runt!" Inuyasha snarled. "He ran away with the Shikon shards!"

"I'm surprised he ran at all!" Chiharu mentioned before looking at Sango. "What do you know about the wolf-yōkai clan?"

"Bits and pieces," Sango answered, "nothing from personal experience. Although I know that, even though they take on a human form, they are just as feral as the wolves they can control."

"I see,"

Inuyasha sat back on his haunches and regarded the forest path carefully. Sango slung her boomerangbone over her shoulder and Chiharu took Kagome's rucksack from Kagome's arms. "Well then, let's go!" she said and Inuyasha slowly nodded.

He was on all fours the next moment and sniffed at the forest-floor. "I'll follow the wolves' scent and definitely get hold of that flee-bitten jerk!"

Any other time Chiharu might have been amused at the way Inuyasha moved forward, crawling on hands and knees while following the wolves' scent.

In the distance she heard the pack howl and the further they travelled, the stronger the scent became, yet it was dark and difficult seeing much in front of you. A curtain of large, dark, grey clouds had settled in the sky above the West, lightning flickering among the tops of the hills further down the forest path. The wind played with locks of her hair and Chiharu pulled her hair back into a ponytail. They traveled further into the darkened forest, the path muddy and the torches barely giving enough light into the darkness. They passed more villages, at least two more had been massacred by the wolves, the wooden huts dark and devoid of any lights and as they travelled Inuyasha grew angrier and angrier.

They travelled until the sun started to rise and beams of sunlight shone brightly through the fleeting clouds. They had started to cross a low valley, following the twisting of a river upwards and further up a path. The higher they started up, the stronger the tingle of the Shikon shards became.

When the afternoon started, the sun high in the sky, surrounded by dark clouds. The trees were grey and menacing while a shadow of a mist had surrounded them. Kagome had grown tired, Inuyasha helping her on his back and carrying further up the mountain. There was a rush of water hurrying down among the stones, wetting Chiharu's feet and she rubbed her hands together to warm herself a bit.

Sango rode Kirara, Miroku on her back, holding onto her waist. He seemed as pleased as he was worried. Something sinister was in the air and as they slipped over crooked stones and the scent of wolves suddenly got stronger. The mountain twisted into the air, the grass and foliage thinning. At their right side a sheer drop and below pine trees with sharp pines and large boulders were staring up at them, if one of them were to fall.

The ground had become sandier and in the yellowish sand Chiharu noticed fresh paw prints, overlapping the older ones. As Kirara and Inuyasha speeded up, she bend down to take a better and closer look. There were different marks too. Older, below the deep grooves, large and straight stripes, three centimetres of width each, ran through the weathered rock.

"What are those?"

"Chiharu!" Inuyasha had skidded to a halt — Kagome holding onto his neck as if her life depended on it — and turned to look over his shoulder. "What are you stopping for, stupid girl? They are close, I smell that guy's wolf-underlings!"

Chiharu nodded, noticing the smell getting stronger as well and quickly got to her feet. "Roger,"

She speeded up and almost immediately slowed her pace when suddenly furry animals came closer. At first they were no more than silhouettes, but their growling was carried to them. It was almost as if they communicated with barks and grunts. Inuyasha charged immediately and just as he was about to reach the wolves further up the road they were greeted by a veritable cascade of wolves descending down the mountain. Kagome shrieked as the wolves surrounded them and Chiharu jumped, lunged and swept but she couldn't prevent the wolves from coming down onto them. A terrible growl rocked Chiharu's body and suddenly Inuyasha and her sister were pushed off the cliff, wolves hanging on his arms and jaws clamped down onto his legs.

Chiharu quickened her pace, arrow already notched, but she could never hit all six of them. In the distance a smallish tornado appeared. It rapidly grew in size and suddenly Chiharu felt the full force of the Shikon shards when Kōga of the wolf-yōkai clan suddenly jumped through the rocks. His speed was superior to theirs and as Chiharu skidded off the cliff as well, the wolf-yōkai caught the falling form of Kagome.

Kagome cried loudly, thrown over Kōga's shoulder as he disappeared in the same smallish tornado. Leaving Inuyasha falling down the cliff and the others far behind them as the Wolf-master jumped up the cliff and moved farther and farther away. The boy was practically flying, the Shikon shards in his legs aiding his escape path and Chiharu screamed. The hostile magic that laid dormant most of the time swept around her and the wolves still surrounding them scurried back from the small female.

She perched to follow after them, but Miroku wrapped both arms around her waist and pulled her back.

"Don't Chiharu-sama!" He gasped, and nearly elbowed his teeth out. "We have to find Inuyasha first. You can't go after them alone!"

"Hell, I can!"

"Please," Sango interjected, "We don't know what's out there!"

Chiharu breathed hard and slowly her anger lessened. Sango was right. She shook her head, embarrassed by her temper tantrum and followed her friends down the mountain. The branches broke as they stepped out into an open clearing. Inuyasha was sitting back on his haunches surrounded by dead wolf parts and a large amount of feathers.

"Fuck!"

"What did you do when you fell down?" Chiharu asked, pushing her panic away. "Did you land on a huge pigeon or something?"

"No, this was already like this." He muttered, Kirara jumping down on a huge wing, tearing it further apart and Chiharu was reminded that, yōkai or not, she still was a big cat.

"We have to find her."

"And then I'll kill that tosser."

"You have my blessing!"

Night closed around them and the sky had grown utterly dark. The breeze gently lifted her hair, ruffling the leaves and disturbing the still water beside them. The leaves were falling from the trees and the air had gained a certain chill to it. Chiharu had noticed her breath escaping her in small clouds of steam, but she wasn't faced. Inuyasha led the way, once again starting through a forest.

Every part of her wanted to panic at the disappearance of her sister and after cleaning her face and Miroku helping Sango put a bandage on her cheek they were on their way again. Small creatures of the forest, birds and squirrels, were scuttling around them. Their presence was normally comforting but now Chiharu only felt the horrible awareness that her sister might not even be alive anymore. Inuyasha was oddly silent as they tracked over the rocky mountains and the sky was slowly starting to darken, a patchwork of fluffy grey clouds and red and orange colours. As the sun sunk lower the cloud-bed became thicker. They found themselves travelling through a strong rain, the wind seeming to be preparing to start a storm.

"Their scent," Chiharu whispered panicky, the rain was quickly erasing the scent of both her sister and the master of the wolf yōkai clan. A large flash suddenly came from the clouds, and several seconds later the crash of thunder followed. She flinched and tried to find the scent again, but shook her head. "I can't smell them anymore."

"Inuyasha!" it was Sango, keeping herself close to her fire-cat companion.

"Inuyasha!" she started again, when the Hanyō ignored her first call. He turned around angrily his face flushed with anger and another flash of lightning shot through the sky.

"What?"

"We have to stop." She told him urgently. "We need to find cover for tonight."

Inuyasha cursed loudly, kicking at a tree. The force of the kick brought the tree down and the ground trembled from the impact of the hit. "He has her!"

Chiharu nodded, but forced her eyes to close and take a breath. "Yes, and I'm sure it is because of the capability to sense Shikon shards that he wanted her."

Miroku nodded, the air behind him growing dark as the upcoming storm moved closer towards them. Lightning struck the ground mere metres from them and everyone flinched. "Sango-sama is right, we need to find somewhere to pass the storm. Inuyasha reluctantly nodded and slowly they started to look for somewhere to seek shelter.

 _To be continued…_


	12. Chapter 11, Ploy of the wolves

**A/N: And this is chapter eleven. I'm sorry for the delay, but I'm back at my shedule, so everyone I'm good to go. Please enjoy and know InuYasha does not belong to me, but to Rumiko Takahashi.**

 **To everyone who takes the time to comment, favourite and read this story, I want to say thank you. I really appreciate your support!**

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 **o.O.o**

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 _ **Chapter Eleven, Ploy of the wolves**_

' _Family; like branches on a tree, we all grow in different directions, yet our roots remain as one_.'

 **W** hen Chiharu awoke there were no storm clouds overhead and a hazy sun was rising. Her hair was still damp from the rain last night and mud was caked at the hems of her hakama. She stretched her limbs, her back basked in the warmth of the sun. Miroku and Sango were both sharpening their weapons — and Chiharu was once again reminded that she needed to invest in getting a weapon herself as well — while Inuyasha stood at the entrance of the cave they took cover in. He inhaled audible trying to find a trace of Kagome's scent, but judging by his tight expression he wasn't having any luck.

"Chiharu?"

"Yes," she answered, slinging her sister's rucksack over her shoulder. Her body was aching, her back stiff from sleeping restlessly against the wall of a cave. The sharp edges of the rock had bruised her lower back, but she couldn't say she really cared.

"Can you sense the Shikon shards?" His voice was tight and controlled.

She closed her eyes and concentrated. Hard. The tingle of the jewel shards were vague, but she inhaled and exhaled slowly. It was there. "Yes."

"Let's go then."

The scrubby grass was damp against Chiharu's ankles and the sun came out from behind a cloud. They moved further west and as they did, they suddenly Sango jumped off from Kirara's back. "Look at that!"

Chiharu slipped to a halt, falling against Inuyasha accidentally, slipping on the wet face of a rock. The Hanyō steadied her wordlessly and stepped up next to Sango. There were little mushrooms, screaming with high voices and Chiharu felt her mouth slack open. "Are those—"

"Shippou's work." Miroku answered. "He left us a trail."

"Good," Inuyasha whispered before suddenly slinging an arm around Chiharu's waist, "You can see the shards, you lead me to that mutt."

"And when we find him you're going to annihilate him?"

"Hell, yes!"

Inuyasha was faster than she was. More assured in his running and preciser where he could place his feet. Thin branches welted against the skin of her bare ankles and the wind harsh against her raw cheeks. Twigs snapped on her clothes and leaves got caught on her hair. The Shikon shards were getting closer.

"There's another one," Chiharu suddenly cried, "It's right up the mountain."

Inuyasha nodded and speeded up. The trees thinned and the light began to change. They reached the edge of the forest. A huge, tall mountain stood before them and Chiharu inhaled sharply when she recognised Kagome's flowery scent. Clawed fingers scraped against the inside of her knees as he jumped up, her hair flailing in the wind and then they landed, his feet hitting the hard rock harshly and dust flung up in the air.

They moved further up the hill and a watery sun broke through the clouds. The temperature was dropping, the higher they came the colder it became and Inuyasha slowly lowered her when Kōga's scent suddenly grew strongest.

They were standing on the brink of a tall cliff. The path down to the valley, still metres above the large forest, was littered with feathers and large bird-like bodies. Her feet were wrapped in mist and behind them the sun had risen fully. A chill wind blew from the East, lifting Chiharu's hair and finally brought Kagome's and Shippou's scent towards them. Kōga's Shikon shards and even a third one hidden inside the large mountain right ahead of them shimmered lightly.

"What are those?" Chiharu suddenly asked when a large yōkai, smelling a lot like the chickens the human villagers kept in dens, seared past.

"Gokuraku-chou," Inuyasha answered, unsheathing Tetsusaiga. "They feed on any living thing they can get their claws on."

"Okay, shoot first ask questions later, duly noted." She answered. She dropped the yellow rucksack to the ground, leaving it behind to retrieve it later and pulled her bow free from her back. She didn't have so many arrows left, so she should try to be careful.

"Get Kagome!" He told her and Chiharu nodded slowly. Her limbs tingled as she followed after the red-clad hanyō, her feet slipping on her sandals and as she rounded the corner she promised herself she would get herself some loafers the next village they'd get to. The air had a heavy metallic tang to it and her eyes widened when she looked upon the battle field.

The crimson red that burned the sky was not from the sunlight, peeking out just above the mountains, but from the blood that had been spilled. What used to be Kōga and a pack of wolves was now Kōga, a pack of wolves and a pack of wolf-yōkai fighting the Gokuraku-chou, who looked like harpies of hell.

The craggy mountain had several plateaus with nests on them and several harpies were flying down fighting with the wolf-yōkai clan. The harpies, who had a bird body with strange, big, toothy faces and on top a human-like body who seemed to be in charge of them, circled above them, just out of reach for the wolf-yōkai. Chiharu observed the carnage below for only a moment until she felt her insides twist and she panicky peered around for her older sister. Her blood wasn't in the air, but there was so much blood she wasn't sure if she would recognise her older sister's blood anyway.

She kicked off on the sturdy branch of a tree and launched down the hill in a free fall, her mind too hazy with worry to overthink her actions. Her hair blew past her, the ribbon holding it together in a ponytail hardly effective in its job and when she landed, almost gracefully, on the floor it was once again messily framing her face. Without much thought she shot down the first harpy and approached the wolf-yōkai. Although it was rather obvious their fight with the harpies had been more of a suicide mission than an even fight they did try their hardest. The wolf-prince, his Shikon shards almost beckoning her, was up at the hight mountain, leaving his people in the meadow below and that's when Chiharu saw her.

Kagome stood behind two wolf-yōkai, face pale and hair a disarray. Shippō sat on her shoulder, trembling and looking absolutely nauseous. She was holding a spear with two hands, while Shippō used his fox magic to keep any hostile opponent off. It wasn't enough, it would never be enough, but Chiharu was sensible enough to see the bravery in it.

Kōga, who seemed to be even stupider than Chiharu had thought at first, was aimlessly charging at a much larger harpy with two torsos attached to the bird body. Inuyasha hissed lowly and joined the fight, slashing three harpies down on his way up and Chiharu used a purifying arrow to shoot one attacking her sister down. It landed with a dull bang and started to dissolve. Several wolf-yōkai jumped back at the whirlwind of youki and reiki as she approached and Kagome squealed.

"Chiharu-chan!"

"Who of those idiots do I need to shoot?" Chiharu asked slowly, glaring at one smaller wolf-yōkai who eyed her with derision.

"Those bird things," Kagome answered without missing a beat and Chiharu nodded slowly, as Kagome turned around to aid a fallen boy with dark hair and a huge gash over his torso. For someone who had been kidnapped she seemed awfully worried about her kidnappers.

Not overly concerned by Kagome's behaviour, she was after all rather naive, Chiharu notched another arrow, evaded one of the harpies and shot another one down. Sango and Miroku had arrived too and with combined strength they easily warded of the large advancing birds of prey.

With all the harpies out of the way — either annihilated by Sango's boomerangbone, Miroku's windtunnel and Chiharu's _corrupted_ purifying power — they all glanced up to where Inuyasha and Kōga were fighting. Without the harpy-king, Chiharu was sure they wouldn't have settled their differences, but were now fighting the huge monster. Kōga, although she didn't like him, handled himself quite well without a weapon while Inuyasha slashed through one of his wings. From her point on the ground it looked like both boys were working together.

While Kōga decapitated one of the torsos, Inuyasha ripped a good sized chunk of its bird body and suddenly the harpy king slammed into the mountainside, pained and disorientated. Debris and small rocks came down and Chiharu wrapped an arm around her sister and pulled her away. Her not-quite-human strength aiding her very well. Kagome clung to her when Chiharu steered her older sister towards the beckoning wolf-yōkai and peered up at the fight again. The harpy-king was fleeing the scene and

"Your what?" Inuyasha's voice echoed off the dauntingly high hills and his face turned red.

"What are they talking about?" Kagome whispered urgently.

"Uhm, Kōga seems to think that your his _woman_." Chiharu slowly explained, as she squinted her eyes at the bickering males at least twenty metres up the hill. "He wants you to look for the Shikon shard the harpy-king took."

Chiharu carefully peered at her sister, while lifting the fox-kit into her arms. Shippou was slightly disorientated leaning his head on her shoulder and Kagome fidgeted, her face turning a dark shade of red.

"That isn't true," she hastily explained. "That isn't true he just decided that by himself!" she yelled and Inuyasha spluttered over his next sentence.

"You arsehole," Inuyasha snapped, finally finding a way to get the needed words out. "What the hell?"

With the harpy-king gone, Kōga jumped down the hill, landing deftly on a boulder. Inuyasha, silver mane tousling in the chilly air, followed after him. Kagome could hear what they were saying now as well and a spark of adoration appeared in her eyes when Kōga started to summarise why he thought Kagome was a good woman.

It seemed to be the last straw because only a second later they were fighting again. With Tetsusaiga aiding Inuyasha and the jewel shards aiding Kōga the two men seemed evenly matched. Chiharu wondered idly if this was the twentieth century equivalent of getting a girl to like you. Chiharu sighed. Their fight was not much different from before, with Inuyasha swinging his katana and Kōga using his speed to avoid his opponent and occasionally kicking the hanyō in his face. While fighting they kept arguing and suddenly the third shard returned.

Kagome sensed it too: "Watch out, the harpy is coming back! It's above the both of you!"

"Don't bother," Chiharu muttered. Both boys didn't even listen to her sister and she notched her last arrow on her bow.

The large yōkai evaded the direct path of her arrow, but it did lodge at the right side of his bird-body. The surviving humanoid figure screeched before he his body crashed against a boulder, narrowly missing Kōga. Inuyasha snarled, as the large jaws of the harpy-king clamped down onto his red-cladded arm and furiously swept the silver-haired boy of his feet. His grip on the Iron-Crushing Fang slacked and the sword transformed back as it clattered down on the stones ten feet below his struggling form.

"Chiharu-chan!"

"I don't have arrows anymore." She gasped softly before placing Shippō into her arms, caught Tetsusaiga from the ground and jumped up the mountain.

"What are you doing?" Kagome screamed, and Chiharu winced at the tone of her voice. She only once or twice heard that pitch enter her voice, and the last time it happened it hadn't ended well for Chiharu.

Ignoring the uneasy thrum of fear running down her spine, she pushed herself up, bracing the palm of her hand against the rough surface of a boulder punched as hard as she could at the large harpy's humanoid face. Whenever she wasn't paying attention on what could go wrong, she was less hesitant. It made it easier to trust on her senses. When she wasn't trying, it was so much easier to fight.

Inuyasha used the momentum of the harpy-king's distraction and pulled himself free, landing a harsh blow on the bird body. With his wings so severely damaged the yōkai crashed down. Kōga the wolf-prince landed a few feet away, peering down at the large harpy and peered up at her with eyebrows furrowed.

"What are you?"

She glanced back at him, unable to keep her irritation out of her face. "Your _woman's_ sister, and when we're done dealing with that ugly thing I'm going to wring your bloody neck."

Inuyasha laughed breathlessly, popping his dislocated shoulder back. He took Tetsusaiga from her hands again and Chiharu followed his lead when they went down the mountain again. The Harpy-king looked as if he'd been dealt with one blow to many and peered up at them unmoving. Kōga limped towards the large feathery beast and glowered at it.

"You slaughtered my brothers and sisters, you bastard." He whispered threateningly, cracking his knuckles. "And for that, you may now join them."

His swiped his claws at the yōkai, but just as he would land his final hit the Harpy-yōkai cried and suddenly fflapped forward, jaws clasping around Kōga's leg and pulled him down. The wolf-yōkai cried out and Chiharu heard a crunch that unmistakably meant both tibia had just been broken, if not pulverised.

Kagome screamed, and several of the other wolf-yōkai yelled angrily. Chiharu made a low choking sound and the harpy king fixed her with an empty look.

"You, I am going to eat next." He whispered as the toothy beak of the bird body pulled Kōga further inside. She felt it shift, she was acutely aware of it the second the youki overpowered her senses and felt her hair swirl with the angry radiating power. She wasn't exactly sure how she did it, but she'd never moved so fast before and in the blink of an eye she had appeared behind the harpy-king and with a sharp twist, she snapped the humanoid's neck. Just like his beheaded brother had, the humanoid's body slumped forward and the large jaws of his bird body slowly slacked. Two wolf-yōkai came forward, pulling their fallen leader out of the beast's terrible beak.

Kagome crouched down next to him, her face full of worry and as the cold fury that had held her under its control slipped, Chiharu dazedly peered down at her older sister.

"I thought he kidnapped you."

"But he hasn't hurt me!" Kagome huffed, cradling the wolf-prince's broken form on her lap. Inuyasha's face became as red as his haori and Chiharu could somewhat understand his upcoming anger.

"What are you doing?" He asked, "Why are you stopping me? Kōga don't be a coward, I want to settle this, you bastard!"

"You can't, Inuyasha! Kōga-kun is badly hurt."

"I'm not following," Chiharu said slowly, "Don't get me wrong, I can see he's hurt and all, but you haven't been with him long enough to grow a Stockholm Syndrome. Why would you do this?"

Inuyasha nodded and Kagome peered at her younger sister in annoyance. The wolf-demon snorted rudely, trying to get on his knees, but failing miserably. "I don't need my legs to support me for a whiny whimp like you, I can still take you out with my arms."

"Prepare to die!" Inuyasha snapped, his patience finally evaporated and he cracked his knuckles. He advanced on his already fallen oponent with an angry glint to his eyes and Chiharu wasn't surprised when Kagome screeched:

"Inuyasha, Osuwari!"

The temporarily subdued Hanyō let out a snarl of profanities and under Kagome's command the Wolf-yōkai pack hoisted Kōga up on their shoulders fleeing the scene. Chiharu watched them go with a frown and when the spell wore off, Inuyasha slowly got to his feet. The dust was clearing, the rocky floor barely visible with all the tangled bodies and blood.

"Why'd you do that?" Inuyasha asked, clawed fingers trailing slowly over the angry bite mark on his arm. "Why did you let those bastards escape?"

"He was injured," Kagome countered angrily, "shouldn't I have? And besides those people aren't bad at heart."

"Aren't at bad at heart?" Inuyasha echoed disbelievingly. "Those punks kidnapped you. How naive can you get. For a start didn't you think you might die after they had dealt with the Gokuraku-chou?"

Chiharu rolled her eyes and smiled at Shippō. The small fox-kit was tiredly chewing on his lower-lip and she carefully picked him up, cradling in her arms rather motherly. "Are you all right honey?"

He nodded, peering up at her with large green eyes and nestled his cheek in the crook of Chiharu's neck. Sango, who hadn't been that long with them, was curiously looking at the exchange between Inuyasha and Kagome. Miroku shrugged dramtically: "They'll get over it. It's quite usual for them to act like this."

Sango nodded numbly and Miroku turned to Chiharu. "Chiharu-sama, if you could point out the Shikon shard?"

"Right, of course," she muttered, carefully approaching the Harpy-king. One of the bodies still bleeding out, although it was by no means a heavy flow and the other and the mangled bones in his neck staring dully at the space before him. The shard was shimmering between the bird-body's large teeth and Chiharu carefully extracted it from them, putting it in the small jar with the few others she still had.

With some coaxing from Chiharu's and Miroku's side, soon the friends were on the move again. When they crossed the second mountain, Chiharu peered around, staring down the tall cliff, consisting out bare and bleak stone. A soft white mist covered the highlands and Chiharu peered down at the plain below and she wondered what lay beyond its tumbled skirts. What lived festering marshes where down there and exhaled slowly. Chiharu exhaled again and followed after Inuyasha and Miroku again. They climbed down the barren slopes and stones of the hill, while the sun lowered down the western horizon.

Inuyasha and Kagome weren't on speaking terms as the group descended down the hill. It was only by sheer force of will and convincing that Kagome didn't return home that night. They were not on speaking terms thirty minutes later when the group found an adequate spot, to set up camp. And they weren't on speaking terms when Chiharu helped Sango and Miroku set up a make-shift camp, tying a sail along three trees to keep them from catching a cold nor were they speaking when they started a fire. Kagome still had a couple of cups of instant ramen left, which at least pleased Inuyasha enough to stop the silent war they had going on.

Kirara the fire-cat curled up in front of the fire, while Shippō chased after one of the multitude of crickets, jumping from the tall blades of the grass. When Kagome started to try and get some homework done, muttering to herself about 'stupid math', Chiharu excused herself and ventured into the forest.

Fall had faded in magenta and the night had swept across the sky and they were surrounded by rowan-trees. Chiharu stooped and splashed her feat and washed her face with the water of the river. She peered tiredly at the mossy stones set upon the turves under the green bank and the small bubbles of air escaping from the bank. The whole forest seemed to have quieted down and her feet turned cold as she waddled through the river-bank. Ripples disturbed the still surface of the water, as she walked towards the bank. Slumping back on a boulder she cleaned her face, feet and arms, listening to the crickets.

The glitter of stars blanketed the night sky with a flickering radiance. A sharp crescent moon rose high in the sky, pale light flickering in through the fluttering leaves. It was a chilly night and the leaves crinkled when she stepped onto them. The night was still young and she peered up at the tree-tops. She noticed the golden eyes of Inuyasha even from the metres that separated them.

He wasn't watching her and she was thankful he wasn't when suddenly kōga's scent hit her and she noticed his jewel shards nearing her.

"What are you doing here?" she asked slowly, crossing her arms over her chest. She hadn't raised her voice even though he was at the other side of the river bank, but with his yōkai hearing, she didn't have to.

"Can you sense them too? The Shikon shards I mean…" Kōga asked. The later it became the chillier the air started to feel. The night filled the forest with an earthy scent and dark shadows fell down from the voluminous trees and the surrounding bushes. She peered at him, pushing her sandals into the soft soil and blew a lock of dark hair out of her face.

"Technically, yes, I do." She answered, rubbing her hands together. Long vines draped from the trees and the fire from their camp flickered softly. "You do realise Inuyasha is going to sense you any moment now, don't you?"

"He won't. The wind comes from the wrong side and without that to aid him, he won't sense me." He seemed awefully cocky and Chiharu raised an eyebrow. He smirked at her.

She snorted. "I did,"

"Yes, but your senses are aided of that of a full-yōkai." He told her dryly, cocking his head to the side. "Why that mark?"

"Excuse me?"

"Wolf-yōkai, much like dog-yōkai, mate for life." He told her and Chiharu dug her nails into her upper arms. "But that mark—" he continued, "That isn't by any means complete. One day you will loose control. If your future mate is no longer part of this realm you should find yourself a new one. I mean I would—"

"You come anywhere near my neck and I disembowel you…" she threatened darkly and Kōga laughed, his face alive with glee. He obviously thought she was funny.

"Oh no, you could ask the mutt. I want Kagome."

"Is this your new way to get to my sister?" Chiharu slowly asked, finally understanding what was going through his head.

"You smell like him. It won't matter that much. That mark will be a bit tricky though…"

"Hm, I'll keep that in mind." She muttered, peering over her shoulder at the tree where Inuyasha was in. He was gazing straight at them and Chiharu started to massage the bridge of her nose. "I'll be returning to camp."

She left him standing there, peering at her. She wasn't entirely sure what he had wanted from her, but as she peered over her shoulder he had already disappeared. He might still be slower than usual, his wound weighting him down, but he seemed good enough to move rapidly again. Chiharu sighed again and stepped through the foliage and settled in front of the fire, gazing over her shoulder at her sister's mathematic problems. Although the fire barely provided enough light, but after a few minutes Chiharu fell back in her studious self and started to explain the use of the trigonometric functions. She'd always been good at maths.

 _To be continued…_

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 **A/N: And here is chapter eleven. I'm terribly sorry for being a week too late with this update. I had a busy week and I just couldn't find the time. Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, and please leave me a review. Like always, they call to my writing soul:)**


	13. Chapter 12, Tenseiga

**A/N: Like always, thank you so much for all the loving comments. I hope you all enjoy the new chapter as well. My busy school week is almost done and this will be the first weekend in two weeks that I can lay in again. I will be replying to all of those who left a personal review for me in those days, but I'm ever so grateful and I hope you'll all keep leaving these nice words of encouragement. They're the best support a writer can have!**

 **InuYasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi.**

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 **o.O.o**

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 **Chapter Twelve, Tenseiga**

 **D** ark, ominous clouds rolled into the clearance and light flashed through the sky. Chiharu Higurashi awoke groggily, blinking excessively against her sudden return to awareness. Kagome-Neechan's textbook opened on her chest and her notebook discarded next to her sleeping bag. The sky grumbled again and Chiharu awkwardly started to unwound the sleeping bag from her body. She carefully tucked Shippou into her sleeping bag, a pleased expression on his child-like face, and slowly sat up against the wall.

Rubbing at her sore eyes she delicately sat up and peered through the room. Sango the Taijiya was curled up on a tatami, her breathing even. The firecat Kirara she had been travelling with was curled up next to her head and her cheeks were flushed with fever. Her great boomerang, the Hiraikotsu, stood against the wall and her taijiya's outfit hung from a string, water dripping softly down onto the floor.  
The girl had lost so much in so little time. Her father, brother and her family, her whole village had been slaughtered by a ploy devised by the always elusive Naraku. Apparently, the same man had devised a ploy fifty years ago to get the Shikon-No-Tama and had ended up in Inuyasha being sealed against a tree and Kikyo being killed.

The young taijiya stirred in her sleep. Inuyasha had continually pestered the young girl about the whereabouts of Naraku's castle — being kept there for a while and all — but Sango just didn't remember.

Chiharu rubbed her eyes again. The sky grumbling again and she sighed softly. Inuyasha seemed also asleep, his head leaning back against the wall and his mouth agape for air passage. Managing to get him to stop was a feat in itself. He was being too stubborn, needing to go faster until the found two shards. The shards were still far away and moving quickly at that. The sooner they found the two shards, the sooner they could go and look for Naraku's castle again. Chiharu agreed with him, but walking around through a dark forest with tired and hungry humans didn't seem like the solidest of plan.

Suddenly, Youki lashed across her body and she scrambled to the window, carefully peering out over the fields and the marketplace. It was dark outside, the tall copse of trees hiding anything that might be there in deep dark shadows. She glanced carefully over her shoulder when she felt the Youki strike out again. The others were asleep, unaware of the vastly growing hostility coming of the Yōkai outside. She sighed, annoyed that he thought she was something akin to his maid and straightened her Hakama before glancing around the wooden floor for her sandals.

He was getting impatient. The last couple of weeks she had learned that with all his so called supremacy he could hurt her, but not even he could get rid of the mark. He might be able to help her with the aches, but hell would freeze over, would she help him ever. Youki pressed against her again and she accidentally stepped on a loose floorboard. It creaked softly and she winced.

"Chiharu-Sama?" Hōshi Miroku's eyes had opened and he was watching her through heavy-lidded eyes. "What are you doing?"

"Just getting some fresh air." She answered, scratching at her neck. "I'm— I'm not feeling well."

"I see," he started before a lecherous grin stretched out of his face. "When I'm feeling ill I—"

"I'm sure I don't want to know, Hentai." She quickly interrupted and swiftly slipped out of the cabin, the screen slipping back. She inhaled deeply. Everything somehow smelled deeper at night and she carefully extracted an arrow from the quiver standing lonely against the wall. With a slight swing to her step, she crossed the marketplace.

He hadn't even bothered to hide his scent and with a stab of indignation she followed it to a clearing not too far away from the village.

She followed the enormous aura out in the woods.

"You haven't got it," he observed coldly.

She snorted rudely. She wasn't planning on getting it anyway. She was feeling fine, all right, tired, yet, the pain had stopped bothering her. The mark was incomplete. Big deal. She hadn't wanted the mark in the first place. "No, I haven't got it. I'm not planning on getting it either."

He was in front of her in a mere second. His face only inches separated from her face and Chiharu noticed the crimson leaching into his gaze. She felt his rage pressing against their bond and she exhaled softly, fingers curling painfully around the arrow. She tensed, but did not look away from the tall man. Prickles at the edges of her senses laboured her breathing, yet she was used enough to them to ignore them. They weren't hurting her that much anymore.

"Impressive," he whispered softly, "you controlled the Ki sooner than I'd expected. This Sesshōmaru is not easily impressed."

"I'm so glad," she muttered sarcastically, yet he didn't notice the sarcasm. Perhaps it was better he did.

Sesshōmaru made an acknowledging 'Hn,' before stating: "What is this one to do with you…"

Chiharu peered at him, with furrowed eyebrows. The sharp point of the arrow digging into the palm of her hand. Obviously she'd boggled her first attempt to shoot him up, but up close he probably wouldn't expect such a move. Partly because it was a stupid move. His eyes suddenly flickered to her hand — it took her a second longer to understand why — and slapped her. Hard.

She let the arrow go. It fell uselessly to the forest floor, and cradled her stinging cheek into her hand.

"You are useless." He whispered.

"I've been with them for less than two weeks." She told him prickly, deciding on a new tactic. "Even if I was going to get it, don't you think I would need to gain their trust."

His mouth tensed into a tight line. He wasn't buying her new tactic. She didn't care much. Why had she thought it had been a good idea to meet him, on her own? Her fingers automatically went to her throat, the pads of her fingers running over the sensitive skin of the mark. Shippou had said she would loose her mind if the mark wasn't completed and once again, if he could hurt her just by pressing against the bond they shared, than he might be able to force her to come and seek him out. He didn't even need to use that much force.

She peered at him again. The muscles in his cheeks were tense and his eyes were cold. His kimono was mostly white with red and white cherry blossom flower crests on his collar and his sleeves, showing that he was of royal birth. She supposed it the armour he wore was more of a Chinese influence. A sword hung at his hip and she frowned, her fear diminishing slightly.

"Why do you want that sword anyway?" She asked slowly. "You have a sword."

He had stepped away from the tree and was facing her fully now. Impassive eyes watching her coldly and he very slowly brought his hand to the katana on his hip. Her eyes widened and she called for every bit of magical power she had in her bloodstream. He wasn't faced. She hadn't expected him to be faced anyway. The katana looked sharp and she felt her heart beat against her ribcage. She was going to die.

Chiharu brought her hands up at the same time as he brought the sword down. Her reiki flared out, trying to shield her for her independent death, but the sword cut cleanly through her shield and through her. She gasped, waiting for what she expected would be horrible pain, yet it didn't and as nothing seemed to change she slowly opened her eyes again. She was fine. Not a hair out of place.

"I—" Her frown deepened and she bit at the inside of her cheek. He was still holding the sword in front of him. It wasn't stained in blood, nor did she feel the youki coming from the blade. "I don't understand, why did it not cut me?"

"Tenseiga is a sword that cannot kill."

"Than what does it do?" Chiharu asked slowly. "What does it do, if it doesn't kill?"

He gave her a cold and annoyed look. She didn't see how that was an unusual question. If a _sword_ wasn't capable to kill, than what was it supposed to do. He looked at her in that displeased, haughty way of his. The ' _I'm-better-than-you'_ and _I'm-going-to-kill-you-slowly_ obvious on his face. She carefully peered over her shoulder. It was not elegant, but screaming for Inuyasha might be effective if she decided to run from him. He had an advantage with the Tetsusaiga.

"It heals."

Chiharu held his gaze. She'd never seen such contempt in his gaze and she had actually seen the way Sesshōmaru looked at Inuyasha. He dropped the sword and she watched it clatter to the forest ground. "Why is that such a bad thing?"

"You will get me the Tetsusaiga or this Sesshōmaru will end your pitiful life right now."

"Yes, you know how to threaten." She answered. "It's the only thing you know how to do…"

"Would you like another slap, Miko?" He snapped curtly and she glared at him.

"Only if hitting girls you can't bully in agreeing with you, seems your fancy, My Lord." She retorted sharply. He cracked his knuckles and Chiharu's eyes flitted to his pale hands. "Do it, it would just prove what I already think of you."

"And what's that?" He asked in a bored tone, looking at her as if she couldn't be a lowlier life force, even if she tried.

"That with all your so-called honour and superiority, you are nothing more than a bully and a violent one at that. Just for your information there is no honour in hurting a girl like this. I haven't done anything to you for you to retaliate like this. And—"

His fingers curled around her neck and suddenly her back hit the rough bark of a tree. He picked her up by it and her feet dangled uselessly off the ground. She gasped, her airway cut off and she struggled against him. He squeezed his fingers around her neck. She was more trouble than she was worth for. She stopped struggling, fingers curling around his wrist.

"Do it," she gasped, digging her nails as deeply into his flesh as she could. "Prove my point!"

He was in a foul mood. First he had to deal with the Yōkai lord of the East. He had had a long tiring meeting where he had to do a lot of politicking to get the Board of Governors and few of the other Lords of his back. They had tried to get him to mate with the Eastern Lord's daughter — who was as bright as a wet candle and as beautiful as a killed fish — and he supposed he could have been more diplomatic about it, but he had refused. Quite loudly at that as well. And now this silly little human girl was being difficult as well. His _future_ _mate_ who was looking at him with an insolent look on her face

She wasn't his equal. None was his equal and with Tetsusaiga at his side no one would ever question his supremacy over his Lands. No stupid mating proposals, no idiotic cows trowing themselves at him no annoying little human girls who refused to do as they're told.

"I should kill you," he said, he had let go of her throat and she was openly glaring at him.

He heard the hitch in her breath, the sudden quicken of her heartbeat and the faint stirring of her magic, but otherwise she remained calm. "Go ahead then, if that's what you want."

She was afraid. He could taste it on the air, yet, she still had that annoyed gleam into her eyes. She was becoming an obsession. His gaze fell on the creamy skin below her neck. He should just accept her challenge, wrap his fingers around her delicate throat and squeeze until the life left her. He took a step closer to her, she gazed up at him.

"I am not going to get it for you!" She whispered, trembling from anger and exhaustion. "I just can't do it. You want to kill me? Go ahead, but I _won't_ do it."

He stared at her. This little human girl, this Miko, trembled and, although he would never really admit it, he felt bad. If only slightly. She was no more than a child. Yet, although she was young, she refused to give in. He hadn't expected her to have a backbone, much less the power to withstand him. Females were mostly so meek and simple. They bore children and looked after them and that was it. Yet, this wretched girl… Forcing her to find her companions had strengthened her resort, instead of forcing Inuyasha to do as _he_ wanted.

He growled, moving too fast for her to retaliate and struck the back of her head with such force that she was knocked out immediately, collapsing to the ground in a limp heap.

"Now what am I going to do with you?"

When she awoke he had hidden himself from her. He watched the girl go with a tired sigh. She had been rebelling. Worse, she was finding a way around his grip and he crackled his knuckles. She was a foolish girl and just as foolhardy brave. How his brother attracted them, he had no idea. She was still afraid of him, jugular fluttering beneath soft pale skin and eyes wide. Yet, there was always that defiant flash in her eyes and the heady thrum of power that even now had not diminished. As a human she had been strong. Nowhere near as strong as him, but not to be underestimated either. Now by his foolish mistake she'd gained an inside on him. She had no idea about it yet and when he actually chose a mate — a real one — he wouldn't be distracted by her life force anymore, yet she questioned his superiority A small, delicate, and most importantly a female, human was questioning his honour. Was doing it smartly too, because, although he doubted that his supremacy over the Western lands would be questioned by the murder of a little human miko, he had made her his intended. And that, considering how gossip went, would be something to explain. He was known being cold-hearted, yet he was also a man of his word and one with honour.

"A nuisance,"

"M'Lord?" Jaken asked softly.

"I'll have to deal with that girl differently." He whispered, ignoring his servant grovelling in the mud. He glanced backwards, wondering if the girl had already returned to one of the human hovels. He sniffed disdainfully. She was probably already asleep, one of those rather potent drugs in her system and her magic steering in her veins.

"She agitates me."

Jaken wisely didn't comment.

He hadn't understood why using the Miko girl had been a good idea in the first place. She had been stubbornly ignoring his calls for weeks and afterwards, when she finally had answered his call, she had simply tagged along with the Half-breed and his ragtag group. Then again, it didn't really matter anyway. Obviously, the girl had no real idea what was going to happen if that mark stayed unstable. He snorted. She would be dead in a couple of months and the problem would solve it self. Nothing his Lord would have to worry about.

"Get A-Un," the tall man ordered and Jaken quickened his steps, eager to comply.

"Of course, M'Lord."

Jaken scuttled away, passing through the foliage. Sesshōmaru watched him go with slanted eyes and glanced towards the human village again. Yes, the girl was a nuisance.

 **I-I. ⌡. Γ┐**

Chiharu had a headache when she stepped through the thick foliage, out into the grasses, that swayed gently with her passing. Her arrival at camp was accompanied by curious looks from Hōshi Miroku, and an angry look from Inuyasha. Just before she entered the hut, Inuyasha dropped down from a high tree branch and landed in front of her, his amber eyes narrowed and his mouth set in a grim line.

"What have you been doing?"

"Collecting herbs in the forest," she answered immediately, automatically, she had been using that excuse a lot, and marched into the hut. Towards her sleeping bag. "Why?"

"I know the bastard is close,"

"Yes," Chiharu admitted, fingertips rubbing over the slight bruises — already fading — against the paleness of her throat. He could probably smell him on her. "so do I, but I have better things to do, than to seek him out. Miroku-san here are your fungi herbs. I am not sure what you want with them, but have fun." She added as an afterthought.

"Inuyasha," Miroku whispered, glancing at his fungi herbs with a small smile. Her story stood or fell with his retaliation. He had actually commented on wanting them, but hadn't done so that evening. "Leave the girl alone. I actually needed these and I don't have the sight to look for them in the pitch black."

"Yes and I—" she started

"I know what that mark does…" Inuyasha interrupted. "I've seen them before…"

"Look," Chiharu interrupted him. "I'm tired and I want to sleep. We can discuss your bastard of a brother and his stupid mark in about a few hours. Till then, I would appreciate it immensely if you kept your mouth shut."

She quietly crept further inside, crawled into her sleeping bag, hugged her pillow to her chest and closed her tired eyes. She was pleased when she heard the rustling of feet moving on the earthy ground, the shuffle of sleeping items being unfurled and the grumbling of Inuyasha as he jumped up in the trees, the leaves rustling when he settled. Shippou cradled against her, his youki almost burrowing it self in hers and she snuggled him closer to her.

Peering through the darkness she returned to the problem at hand. The question that remained unanswered was what he would decide. Would she live or die? She wasn't naive. He was stronger and since she noticed his life-force she supposed he must notice hers too. He didn't look like the type that would be very patient with her human emotions.

He wasn't very patient with her either way.

She exhaled slowly and closed her eyes. She could feel his anger lingering at the edge of her senses. She just knew he was planning something and considering the last attack he'd launched on her, she knew she wasn't going to like it either.

 _To be continued…_

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 **A/N: Although he always was a bit of a womanising little twit, I always liked Mirōku's character. Or at least I found his comments always funny. I did actually pity Sango the most with her womanising boyfriend (I always thought she had a harder time in that department than Kagome, who did have to fight for Inuyasha's attention, but at least who didn't keep on 'cheating' while he was engaged with Kagome).**

 **And finally there was some Sesshōmaru again. Don't worry, we will actually start working to some romance from here on, but it will be in baby steps. Like I might have mentioned before, Sesshōmaru is not the type to suddenly fall in love. Anyway, next update will be on Thursday^^**


	14. Chapter 13, Kaze no kizu

**A/N: Thank you for the comments and welcome those who're new to it. I hope you'll all enjoy the next chapter (on schedule if I may add).**

 **InuYasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi.**

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 **o.O.o**

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 **Chapter Thirteen, Kaze no Kizu**

 _'Obstacles are put in your way to see if what you want is really worth fighting for.'_

 **T** hey met again a few days later. The day had been unusually quiet. They had just set camp and Chiharu had just left her friends sitting around the fire, Kagome cooking dinner, Miroku mumbling about all of his conquests and Inuyasha about not moving fast enough for his taste. She followed the river down a slope and smiled when she noticed the several hot springs in between a few dark, sharp rocks. It wasn't that far away and if she screamed, her friends would be there in seconds. She might have been able to handle herself decently enough, she had no desire to fight while naked and wet.

Placing her bathing supplies neatly onto the forest floor, she kicked off her sandals. Slightly lost in thought she came to stop at the bank of the river and dipped her toes into toes ice cold water. Bathing in the water this temperature didn't have her fancy, but at least she got clean thanks to them. Undressing quickly, she entered the cold water quickly. Her arms and legs trembled and she puffed her cheeks up as she rinsed her hair out. Her fingers grew numb from the cold and she wasn't even ready scrubbing her stomach. To warm herself slightly she did a few laps swimming from one end to the other. Her limbs are shaking and her arms are pale in the in the evening sun and the highlands were crowned with drifting clouds. It looked like it was going to snow. Of course, it wasn't yet that cold, but the dark masses of clouds and the chilly wind all gave the impression it was going to snow.

Chiharu dipped her head underwater and held her breath. It had been snowing that night, nine years ago as well. The windscreen wipers had been busily cleaning the extensive snow from the windshield and the car's heating system made a buzzing sound. Christmas carols echoed dauntingly through the car and her father smiled down at her when she hummed along with the familiar tune, too young to understand the unfamiliar words, yet familiar enough to know the tune. The road had been slippery and suddenly a woman and her young boy had crossed the street. The screeching sound their car had made when her father evaded the two people still made the hairs on her arms and legs stand on edge. So did the crash and the loud sirens that followed. The radio kept playing the Christmas carol as two medical workers lifted her bleeding from out of the wreck and set up fluids before applying a small air mask to get her enough oxygen. She still remembered her father's still face and the dead glassy eyes…

She came up for air coughing. Gasping she scrubbed her arms, pale skin eventually turning red until the small scars were unnoticeable. She slid through the water and massaged her scalp roughly until she could rinse out all the dirt and dust she'd collected from sleeping on the forest floor. She had just started to clean her feet when a horrible dark aura passed over her. Fast and unstoppable, as thunder shooting through the sky, the sky darkened with dark grey clouds. She shot up to her feet, water cascading down her body and clambered out onto the riverbank. Sesshōmaru's dark youki was suddenly pressing down onto her and she inhaled sharply.

Quickly dressing, ignoring the heavy feeling that had settled into the pit of her stomach, she started down the path back towards the campsite. Even from where she was now, she heard Inuyasha snarl as his brother made an entrance. Effectively cutting the strings of his remarks short, she heard a fist connect with Inuyasha and the Hanyō slammed into the forest-floor.

"Chikushō," she whispered, quickening her pace. Their voices, Miroku's and Kagome's, were getting clearer. _His_ youki was getting clearer as well.

"An acquaintance of yours?" Miroku asked. Chiharu finally reached the clearing of their campsite.

"That's Inuyasha's onii-san and unlike Inuyasha, who is Hanyō, he is full yōkai." Kagome explained softly. "He's the one who did this to Chiharu-chan."

Chiharu stiffened at the tree line, looking up at Sesshōmaru's face. He wore his usual disdainful expression and cracked his knuckles. She watched his eyes briefly flit over her form before turning towards the red-clad Hanyō. "Inuyasha, you aid Tōtōsai? Fine, then you'll die."

Inuyasha's snorted rudely and Chiharu wondered what the hell a Tōtōsai was.

Inuyasha charged at his older brother, face pinched with determination, swinging his sword at the full-blooded Yōkai. As Sesshōmaru sidestepped his opponent, horrible scathing comments aimed at his careless way of fighting, Chiharu wondered if Sesshōmaru had ever tried teaching his brother. The way he sneered, actually sort of explaining how to use his sword, she supposed he might have taught Inuyasha before. Even if that made no sense, whatsoever.

He noticed her again, his eyes momentarily landing on her petite frame and she carefully inched to where her friends stood. A cranky, balding, old man with huge eyes and small pupils and irises stood huddled behind Miroku and Sango. His remaining hair was tied together in a topknot and his goatee at the end of his chin was slightly scorched as if he had tried to look a bit too deep in the embers of a crackling fire and his moustache was unkempt. His robes consisted out of a green haori with black horizontal stripes on it and a matching hakama. Like so many of the people they met, he was barefoot.

"What's going on?" Chiharu asked slowly, winching as Sesshōmaru caught Inuyasha's wrist and started to dissolve it under his poisonous claws.

"Tōtōsai-san came her for help," Kagome whispered and Chiharu nodded.

The large round eyes of the man — Tōtōsai apparently — narrowed and she gave him an annoyed stare. Myouga the flea-yōkai yelped seeing her, jumping up and down on Kagome's shoulder. "Chiharu-sama, you look all right."

"Yes, I'm still alive," she sarcastically mumbled.

Tōtōsai gazed at her. "Not for long."

She didn't have time to react on that because Inuyasha was punched in his stomach, the wind knocked out of him and slammed into the forest-floor.

"He's a complete incompetent!" Tōtōsai cried. "Myōga, you said Inuyasha had mastered the Tetsusaiga!"

"I—"

Propping himself up on his arms and knees he wiped the rug of his hand over his bleeding lower lip. "I did you old codger!" he bellowed.

"Hiraikōtsu!"

Sango hurled her large boomerangbone at the Daiyōkai, who almost stoically returned it, carelessly flicking his wrist, to the fragile Yōkai taijiya. The girl still slowed down by her injuries, jumped out of the way and Inuyasha streaked past his companions in a red blur before slamming into the ground. The older Yōkai had backhanded him rather painfully.

Sango wanted to swing her boomerang again, but Inuyasha snarled. "Don't, he's mine."

Chiharu winced again when Sesshōmaru suddenly used his fist to punch Inuyasha in his stomach and the other to swipe razor sharp claws at his cheekbone. Blood, dark and red, ran down his face and Inuyasha swore loudly before jumping up in one of the trees.

"Well, Tōtōsai," Sesshōmaru started, a green hissing whip extending from his fingers and he cut the tree in two, "All Inuyasha can do is wave about a sword with all his so-called strength. It's the same whether it's a famous sword or a log."

The old man nodded carefully and Kagome's face reddened. "What are you nodding fore?"

"He's got a point," the old man whispered.

"You fucking bastard," Inuyasha cried, "I'm not incompetent! I'm handling it, am I not?"

"Heh," Sesshōmaru smirked — Chiharu felt his elation as clear as day — "It seems you don't even know of the wind scar…"

"The wind scar?" Chiharu asked softly, crossing her arms over her chest as she watched the two brothers as they swiped at each other from the periphery of her vision. Sesshōmaru, on the contrary of his younger brother, fought with calm deliberate moves. He wasn't fast enough and, even with Tetsusaiga, as long as Sesshōmaru fought calculatedly, Inuyasha couldn't match him.

"The scar of the wind is the correct movement which brings out the swords true explosive power. It is the Tetsusaiga's secret principle, so to speak…" Tōtōsai explained, stroking his goatee. "Slaying a hundred Yōkai is impossible unless one can see the Wind Scar. Sesshōmaru must be able to."

"Of course he can," Chiharu muttered, "It's not like he wasn't already dangerous enough…"

And then, something changed. She could sense it, even if she had no idea what was happening. Shippō jumped on her shoulder, hugging himself close to her neck and cheek and she shivered. The air around the two brothers changed, getting thicker, Sesshōmaru's eyes turned red, youki whirling around his form. Inuyasha tried, once again to cut his brother down, but the older one stepped aside.

Inuyasha grumbled, swung the sword and jumped forward. Sneer firm on his face, he drew the sword back, Sesshōmaru suddenly appeared in front of him and with a trademark _Dokkasou_ to his face, sent the younger boy flailing to the forest floor.

The Hanyou impacted against the ground, debris flying around him and Kagome shrieked when he opened his eyes. The irises of his eyes had glassed over and even from the distance, Chiharu could see the beginnings of panic settle on his features.

The beginnings of pure anger settled on Sesshōmaru's face and the stripes on his cheeks became more jagged while red seeped into his eyes. "You and I, Inuyasha, are simply not in the same class."

He charged again. "You dirty little Hanyō!"

Inuyasha slowly got to his feet. Chiharu noticed his nose wrinkling and suddenly he took a step forward and sliced at the very air before him. Pure energy flickered and suddenly the vibrated when Tetsusaiga's true power was released. A powerful energy wave cut through the air and Chiharu was vaguely aware of someone wrapping an arm around her waist and dragging her behind an ox yōkai for safety. She knew when the attack hit its intended target. Her breath hitched and she felt winded, almost felt blood seeping past her chest and numbed her fingers.

"Chiharu-sama," It was Miroku, his face peering at hers. "Are you all right?"

"She'll be fine," Myoga-jijii whispered and he was right. When the initial shock of the sudden pain — pain that she hadn't been familiar with — lessened she slowly sat up. Her nerves remained unsettled even when the little group moved towards the shore of a soft cackling river.

Inuyasha slugged down near the jettisoned water and washed his face. Chiharu slowly, hands trembling, sat down next to him and held both of her hands deep into the cool water. It felt like an explosion had taken place in her left shoulder. As the water numbed her shaking fingers she slowly came to her senses. There was a great deal of pain waiting to spring on her senses.

"You okay?"

She looked up surprised at Inuyasha's gruff voice. He was staring intently at her and she draped her arms over her raised knees. "I'm okay, I think."

"You feel it…"

It wasn't a question, yet, it wasn't an observation either. Her eyebrows rose in surprise and a rustle of excited murmurs broke out over the other members of the little group.

Tōtōsai, the elderly yōkai wordsmith who forged both the Tetsusaiga and the Tenseiga, cleared his throat. His back was straight and his eyes bulbous as he sat against the three-eyed ox yōkai on which he'd flown to them. When Sesshōmaru had commissioned Tōtōsai to create a sword that rivalled Tetsusaiga, the older man had fled with Myouga-Jijii-chan.

"I didn't know he'd chosen anyone as a prospect?" the old sword-smith said. He acted and sounded a bit senile.

"She's more of a bargaining chip." Myoga-jijii-chan whispered and Chiharu glared at him, even though what he'd said was true. Tōtōsai scratched his head and stared at her with a vacant expression.

"Let me hone the sword for you," he suddenly announced. Inuyasha gave him a hostile glare but did pull the Tetsusaiga out from his waistband.

"You better not do anything iffy with it, you slow-assed old fart!"

"Inuyasha!" Kagome snapped as he unceremoniously dropped the sword in the old man's lap.

"Feh!" Inuyasha dropped back cross-legged to the floor, Shippō trying to scamper on top of Inuyasha's head so that he could lean down and peer into his face. "Are you really all right?"

"I'm fine, leave me alone!" The Hanyou snored annoyed and batted the boy away and Chiharu felt a muscle in her back twitch. She dipped her hands back into the river and shivered again. Tōtōsai blew his cheeks up and unleashed a controlled stream of flame-breath to ignite the sword until it was glowing. The sound of a sharp rasp echoed through the clearing as the sword-smith struck the blade with his large hammer. The shuddery, tight noise made her over-sensitive nerves tingle.

"You and your elder brother don't get on." Tōtōsai decided, stating the understatement of the year.

"Everything about me he finds offensive. He just does." Inuyasha snorted and Chiharu trembled. _He_ was hurt. Hurt enough that she could tell. She felt it burn through her bloodstream, singing out to the bond they shared. She had no idea it would do that. She exhaled softly trying to calm the raging nerves. What was she supposed to do?

"You probably should," Myoga-jijii whispered and she gasped when he nuzzled her neck.

"You better not try to bite me." She mumbled softly and the flea-yōkai grumbled. She brushed her wet hands off on her hakama and Myoga-jijii landed on her knee. "What should I probably do?"

"Follow after him," Myoga answered, the others didn't seem to pay much attention to her as Tōtōsai explained about the Tetsusaiga and the Tensaiga. "It might be your only hope."

"Myoga-jijii, what will happen if I don't you know get rid of the mark?"

"You can't get rid of it. Not unless he finds someone else." Myoga whispered. "And even then it won't change your biology back."

"Fine, what will happen if this mark stays incomplete?"

Myoga stared long and hard at her but it was Tōtōsai who answered. "It will corrupt your mind, seeking to be complete."

"I don't understand…"

"The Youki will take over," Tōtōsai explained slowly, softly. "It's only a matter of time and when it completely does it will kill you."

The trees stood mournfully around them, dry leaves rattling in the chilly wind. The sun was slowly sinking behind the long Western horizon and the mountains stood in dark contrast against the soft orange hue. Her friends and her sister stood like statues at the other end of the clearing, openly staring at her and she shifted awkwardly on her spot.

"Has it ever tried to take over."

"No," she answered quickly. Perhaps too quickly.

"Have you ever done something you felt like you didn't have any control over?" Tōtōsai asked, his bulbous eyes trained on her. She fidgeted again. She had almost blasted a tree away when she shot an arrow at two human monks. She had taken down half a palace shrine when she got angry with the Sennin, but was that something she had no control over, or was it something she'd done when hormones had been running rampant through her body.

"I—" Chiharu started slowly, unsure how to proceed. The wind pulled at a lock of her hair, and she tucked the wayward strand of hair behind her ear. The night was gathering over the shapeless lands before her, the green of the foliage swallowed by a grey-darkness. "—Perhaps I've lost control a few times."

Tōtōsai nodded slowly. He didn't comment but the slight daze that passed over his eyes and she pulled at the strap of her quiver.

"How long?" Kagome asked. "How long does she have?"

The old sword-smith. "What's that?"

"How long before an incomplete mark becomes a problem?" Kagome asked slowly.

"What?"

"You just said it would become a problem!" Inuyasha snapped, smacking the man upside the head.

"Did I?"

"Just a second ago, you old codger!" Inuyasha bellowed.

"It's fine," Chiharu whispered. "I figure it out myself."

She jumped to her feet, tensing her hands as she felt her jangled nerves flutter. Kagome hurried towards her, hands reaching for her as if she hoped to help her stand. "I'm fine, Onee-chan…" she softly whispered, raking fingers through her long dark hair nervously. "I don't think I'll suddenly start losing my mind right now."

Even though she couldn't ignore the call that laced through her blood. She wondered if _he_ was even aware of it. "I'm going to find it out myself."

"We're coming with you."

It surprised her that it was Inuyasha who told her this. She peered up at him, craning her neck to gaze up at him, upon a boulder swinging Tetsusaiga around, to test the honed sword. She swallowed, finding her rucksack, still filled with bowls and a pounce of gold — she didn't have to use because Miroku talked himself inside of villagers homes to stay the night — and swung it over her shoulder.

"No," she shook her head, "I need him to be willing to speak to me."

"Your point?"

"That if you all were to come with me a bloodbath ensues." She answered slowly. He glared at her, golden eyes narrowed and ears fluttering. "I don't think he would be in the shape to be his usual massive arsehole to me. And perhaps I could use that to my advantage to get him to get rid of his stupid mark."

She smiled to herself. The idea that the tables might be reversed entertained her more than it should. Kagome stared at her, obviously not pleased with her younger sister's idea, and rubbed her hands together. Chiharu smiled at her, wrapping her sister in her arms and squeezed her to her chest.

"I'll be fine."

"Are you sure, Chiharu-sama?" Miroku asked and she smiled, the action straining her cheek muscles almost painfully.

"I am,"

She thought as long as that mark remained a problem, she would constantly be tempted to take the Tetsusaiga from Inuyasha. Being loyal to her friends only went that far and although she had thought she could live with the aches and prickles, she wasn't sure if she could with the idea that she would eventually go insane. Inuyasha was still staring at her and she winced slightly when her blood tingled in her veins. If she had to describe it she couldn't, but instinctively she recognised the call their bond made on her. She very much doubted he was doing it on purpose. For once, he was probably too hurt to do it purposely.

"Where do we meet up?"

Inuyasha offered her bow and she slung it thankfully over her shoulder. Kagome almost dropped her heavy yellow pack and Shippō's lower lip wobbled.

"You can't be serious?"

"Kagome, I can't fix this. You, no your _doctors_ can't either." The Hanyō snapped. "And if Sesshōmaru senses me, no matter how injured he might be we will take off where we left it."

"I can go with you!" Shippō suddenly piped up, climbing on her shoulder.

"Shippō-chan," Chiharu started slowly but Kagome was nodding.

"I think that's a good idea," she nodded. Chiharu stared at her. Kagome was practically his surrogate mother and yet she let him go off with her, to find a dangerous yōkai who might likely get angry the moment she tried to bargain her freedom. Yet, as he rubbed his cheek affectionally against hers, she couldn't find it in her to refuse him.

"All right," she nodded, "do we meet up at Kaede's?"

"Seven days!" Inuyasha warned. "If you're not there by then, I'll hunt the sucker down."

Chiharu smiled, fingers carefully trading through Shippō's sandy hair. She was slightly warmed by his words. As tough as he acted, he was obviously a good person and she nodded. Readjusting the knot on her obi she hugged her pouting sister again. Sango, her face scrunched up in disapproval pressed a phial with a red liquid inside of it.

"What—"

"If you need to get out throw this down on the ground." She told the younger girl. "Don't linger, but get out as fast as you can. If won't stop _him,_ but it will delay him."

"Thank you!" Chiharu whispered and the Taijiya nodded. Before anyone could say anything else — or grope her in Miroku's case — she jumped through the foliage and, sniffing the air, followed the call of her blood. By the time she could no longer here or sense her friends the moon was out, a sliver in the sky and the forest path was dark. While Shippō feel asleep in her arms, she followed the path until her legs almost gave out. She had only one chance for this…

 _To be continued…_

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 **A/N: Sesshōmaru deserved this one, if you ask me^^ Next upd** **ate will be on Thursday^^**

 **Let me know what you all think!:)**


	15. Chapter 14, Travelling

**And here is chapter fourteen. Thank you all for the fantastic reviews. Like always they warm my heart! This chapter will dive a bit more into Sesshōmaru's psychic and I hope you all like it.**

 **InuYasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi.**

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 **o.O.o**

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 **Chapter Fourteen, Travelling**

 **W** hen she finally found him two days later, dusk had deepened and a thick mist lay behind them among the trees below. It was cold, and the sky was clear, stars out and shining brightly. The moon was riding high in the West and her feet were slightly hurt from the track she had made over the stony hills. Chiharu straightened the straps of her self-made rucksack and carefully peered over her shoulder into the darkness of a deep winding valley. It was a long way down and she shuddered. Shippō was cuddled against her chest, his breathing laboured from nerves. The closer they got the closer to hysterics Shippō got.

She'd known he was close. His scent, tangled with the rich metallic scent of his blood was strong. Absentmindedly, she ran her fingers trough Shippō's sandy hair.

"He's close isn't he?"

She nodded, the pull so strong she had to ground her teeth together. There was a human village nearby and a river cackled gently not even a mile away. Chiharu followed the scent until she noticed Sesshōmaru's silver hair spilling almost gently over the soft fur he always wore over his shoulder. The stoic Daiyōkai seemed to be sleeping. The magenta stripes over his cheekbones and wrists were back to normal and his breathing was even. If she hadn't known him, she would probably have thought she was looking at an angel. His pristine silk clothing was soaked in blood and the intimidating armour was broken. Even looking like that he still had that aura of power radiating from his physique.

Now that she found him she wasn't sure what she was supposed to do. The damage that she could see was bad. A large deep gash adorned the left side of his chest, cutting clean through armour and haori. It was so deep his left arm hung uselessly next to him and she realised there must have been nerve damage. Although considering yōkai-healing was rather potent, she didn't think it was permanent.

"He doesn't look so well," Shippō whispered and she nodded again.

Chiharu carefully inched closer, setting Shippō down on the forest floor. "Stay there, Hun."

He nodded and she carefully traced his cheek before taking the last few remaining steps that separated them. The damage to his chest and up his shoulder was even worse than she'd thought. Although the heavy blood flow had stopped, the gashes were still very deep.

"Careful," Shippō whispered, his face was a bit frantic and she smiled at him. She reached for him, her hand carefully peeling the shredded haori back. His demonic energy cackled and it was almost enough to have her stumble back — probably slipping over own feet and landing on her arse. She watched in horrified astonishment as muscle knitted itself together and the veins found each other again, slipping seamlessly into each other before red raw skin started to close the gap. Much of the gash remained, although less deep and far less horrible looking and as she brought her hand back, she felt drained.

She felt her knees wobble and she glanced over her shoulder, slightly panicking. Shippō shook his head, not sure what was happening either. When she looked back her breath hitched. Golden eyes were looking right back at her.

"What did you do?" She asked slowly, hands now firmly fisted into her haori.

He gave her a long look before shifting. Although that one gash looked better, he was still badly hurt and she shot to her feet, knees wobbling. "You shouldn't move, you idiot!"

He shot her an annoyed look still attempting to get up and Shippō gave a whimper, scuttling closer to the large oak tree behind him. The little boy was almost hyperventilating when Sesshōmaru glanced at him but refocused on the task of getting up. She frowned, the idea to use his pain, his hurt, against him, was quickly losing its merit. Part of her, the part highly influenced by the mark on her throat, wanted to help him. The other part wanted to slap him senseless and then begrudgingly help him.

He struggled up to one knee, breathing hard and she used both hands, pushing back against his shoulders until he sat back. She noticed his talons tingeing green but when she made no other move, nor gave of any hint she was about to try something stupid he slumped back against the bark of the tree.

"Shippō-chan?" she started. The little fox-yōkai nodded at the mention of his name. She could practically smell his fear. "Can you get me some water from the river."

"Chiharu-chan?"

"I need water," she explained, "I'm fine, I'll just need the water." She smiled, sitting down on her knees and rummaging through her rucksack until she found a larger bowl and Shippō careful took it from her, still trying to stay as far out of Sesshōmaru's reach as he could.

"What are you doing here, Miko?"

His foolish attempt had reopened several fresh gashes on his shoulder and down his right side and he winced when he leaned back against the tree.

"Helping you," she whispered softly, sitting back on her heels. She listened to the noise of the water, the whisper of the dark trees and Shippō's soft quick footballs. She slowly got up to her feet and kicked at several fallen tree branches until they were assembled in a neat pile and she crouched down again, taking one of the sticks, the one looking the most like a spindle stick and one of the branches still with her feet. Rolling it harshly between her palms, creating friction. She did it as fast as she could until the friction created a little bit of some and the stick started to create a hot ember.

He started to move again and Chiharu sighed.

"A wound won't heal if you keep opening it up." She said out loud, his eyes snapped open, gaze meeting hers dead on and she wrung her hands together. Coming here might not have been one of her wisest ideas either. She lay the necessaries out onto the forest floor, in front of the hissing fire. It needed some more kindling if this was going to work. She stoked the fire with a stick and shifted in her seat.

"What do you want in return?"

"Do you always need a reason to help someone else?" she asked slowly and his narrowed.

"You humans always do." He coldly returned and he gave a meaningful look at her neck. She swallowed. She had every right to want him to help her with that, yet when he put it like that she felt almost ashamed she had even thought it.

Scowling, she combed her hair over her right shoulder, effectively hiding the mark from his eyes. Fingers fiddling with her hair she slowly met his eyes again. "Fine, I'll admit it, I considered it," she admitted and she saw his eyes widen. Pursing her lips together Chiahre kindled the fire until it was crackling merrily.

"This Sesshōmaru isn't cold." He told her and she barely refrained from rolling her eyes.

"I'm glad you aren't, but I am." She whispered softly. She didn't have to speak up, he heard her anyway.

Shippō returned, a bowl of water clasped between little paws. "Here's your water, Chiharu-chan."

"Thank you,"

She poured it over in a pan, Kagome had given her and hung it above the fire, waiting until the water warmed enough. Shrugging out of her haori she offered it to the little Kitsune and smiled. "Try to sleep, Sweetie."

He looked at her with wide tired eyes. "I can't do that." He murmured and she folded her large scarf up until it could serve like a tatami. She smiled warmly and wrapped him up in her haori, his eyes were already drooping and placed him gently on the scarf. He was close enough to the fire to stay warm and far enough from it to not get burned. She watched him for a moment, huddled in her haori, face content before turning around. The Daiyōkai was observing her intently and she sighed again. He was very difficult.

"The wounds need to be cleaned. Else it takes longer and you'll have a larger risk to get an infection." She snapped. The night was marred with large clouds, et the cold moon gave just enough light.

"I'm Yōkai, I do not get infections."

"I'm sure, but you're not healing all that fast either."

He glared at her. He had not been healing well until she had neared him. Drained her of an amount of her power. His glare intensified and she felt jittery like she had a thousand ants crawling under her skin.

Munching the Yarrow leaves to a pulp she added it to the water. According to the apothecary at home, it could be used for healing wounds, as well as soothing the skin. It was supposed to act antiseptic as well as stopping the bleeding. She glanced at him with half-lidded eyes, he was eyeing her hands suspiciously but didn't seem alarmed. And why should he, after all, he probably was immune to most poisons and acids. Chiharu dappled a piece of clean linen into the lukewarm water and moved towards the Daiyōkai again.

"You better not be—"

She didn't wait for him to finish that sentence and pressed the cloth against the large gash the side of his chest. He hissed, grabbing her wrist with his good unwounded hand and squeezed. "Miko!"

She winced trying to pull her arm free and glowered at him. "You're hurting me," she whispered. His eyes were cold and she tried to pull her wrist again. "Of course you wouldn't care, but still, let go of me!"

The light of the fire shone into the woods, giving his pale skin a more earthy look. She dropped the cloth caught it with her other hand and pressed it against the wound again. He glared at her and she glared back. His face stoney and her eyes narrowed.

"Stop!" he ordered, his urbane voice tight with anger. By then she had already rubbed the liquid on the other wounds as well and she slowly relented, dropping the cloth back into the bowl filled with water.

"Fine, whatever."

He let go of her hand and she scuttled back. The paleness of his face had lessened, a healthier colour returning. Chiharu felt somewhat tired and slowly back-pedalled towards Shippō's sleeping form. She huddled the small boy close to her chest, she closed her eyes, sighing gratefully for the warmth the fire created.

 **I-I. ⌡. Γ┐**

Sesshōmaru watched her, sprawled out on the forest floor in her hakama and in an ill-fitting kosode. The kit snuggled closer to her and she motherly pulled him against her side. The girl acted like his mother. Slim fingers rubbing soothing circles on the boy's arm. The girl was entirely different from anything he'd ever seen.

Sesshōmaru sighed. His left arm was still useless, but her presence was making him feel better. The moment she had neared him, fingertips suddenly pressing against the gash on his left shoulder as she examined it, he'd felt his wound close, knit back together. His arm was still without function, but he did show signs of regeneration. He was definitely not in a good mood.

The girl was a bit of an enigma. It wasn't surprising she would seek him out. She would have been compelled to seek him out, but he was surprised about her character. Both her and her sister, although the other miko, the perpetually half-naked one, was not someone he usually kept an eye out for, they both seemed somewhat selfless.

The Miko whimpered. He supposed she was cold, her face scrunched up as she hugged the little kitsune closer to herself. Sesshōmaru observed them for a moment. The girl acted like his surrogate mother. The human acted as the Yōkai's surrogate mother. The fox kit, Shippō. When he'd observed her, he'd often observed him too. The kit was often naively observant, directing cheeky comments to Sesshōmaru's half-brother. It earned him half of the time a smack on the head.

The girl trembled again.

The only thing missing now was the little girl offering some human meal he was not interested in and he massaged the bridge of his nose with his good hand. As she sighed again, stirring slightly as she started to wake he sighed tiredly. He wasn't really in the mood to have to deal with her again and he steered his mokomoko to cover the girl. She sighed again but at least she remained asleep.

He gritted his teeth in anger. This was what he was reduced to. Spying on a mortal girl, as she slept. He sighed again and stared at the starry sky. The moon shone brightly and sky an inky-black. Ever since the day in the yōkai graveyard, she had become somewhat of a plague. Standing alone, gazing out over his land, while her very essence pressed against the bond. Her senses were still blunt unless he let her know he was there, she had no idea he had been watching her picking herbs with the elderly Miko or huddle around the campfire.

Immune as he'd always believed himself to be, after all, he was _not_ his father, he'd never been ignorant to charms some human women possessed. She was just a girl. Still, she did look _lovely_ , her scent always clean, having a strange habit of bathing, and there was a thrum of power through her blood. All in all there was enough about her that was puzzling.

And she was dying.

He never had any intention to help her. There wasn't much he could do anyway. It had rather surprised him she had held out so long. He was even more surprised that her senses, her sense of smell and her hearing, had strengthened. Never would he have expected that the Miko's reiki would be sensitive to the change brought forward by his youki.

Still, she was dying.

And if she did the interesting little Miko would stop existing. Tenseiga pulsed at his hip, once again compelled him to intervene. He sighed, closing his eyes. The girl was as exhausting as she was good-natured. He found her annoying to a new degree.

 **I-I. ⌡. Γ┐**

When morning came the bitter chill slowly lessened. The pitch-black darkness in the East slowly, but steadily, faded to a cold grey, the stars' light distinguishing. Red and orange streaks leapt above the tall trees and the autumn sun rose higher and higher. Chiharu's neck was stiff and, with birds singing and light around them, she slowly got to her feet. She carefully followed the path, eroded from the many feet that had taken this road, to the river. It was a small stream with a wide bend, flowing south. The land was green with wet meads along grassy borders and the water cackled merrily. Chiharu puckered her lips, glanced at the mossy stone set upon turves under the green bank and she kicked off her sandals.  
When she awoke she was feeling warm and fuzzy. At first, she thought her sister might have covered in her blankets at home, but then she suddenly remembered she was at Sengoku-jidai. She had opened her eyes slowly, only to discover the soft fur Sesshōmaru normally wore over his shoulder, was wrapped around her. When she sat up it had moved across from her without the Daiyōkai even touching it and she had been unsure what she should do. In the end, she went through her morning ritual and carefully peered at the wounds on Sesshōmaru.

Shippō grinned jumping through the shallow water, his face alive with glee.

"Finally something else than Ramen!"

"I thought you liked Ramen?" Chiharu answered softly, slipping over slick stones and dappled carefully through the water. She blanched as her barefoot sinking in the sandbank and carefully lowered the bowl into the water. The river ran down swiftly into the plain and down the hill in a wide bend. The lands up here were green, large meadows along grassy borders and large willow-trees.

"I do," Shippō admitted as he settled on a lone boulder in the water and glanced at passing fishes, "we always have Ramen. I'm sick of Ramen."

Chiharu nodded slowly, carefully filling the bowl to the rim. She watched in awe as the little fox-kit shot into the water and came up with a large salmon. A brown trout with other fish, startled from the capture of one of their own, swam away.

"If you catch a bit more, I can cook it for you."

Shippō nodded excitedly and with small claws dealt with the fish. She smiled at him before stepping out of the river, slightly tired. Feet damp, she stepped into her sandals and blew a stray lock of hair out of her face.

She slowly but gradually returned to the small clearing. The sun had reached its heights point Sesshōmaru was still leaning against the thick bark of the tree, eyes closed and expression blank. She blew a lock of hair out of her face and sank to the forest-floor, stoking the fire. The leaves she had collected hung limply from the stalks and she chewed on her bottom lip.

For some reason, Chiharu's heart was racing. She could only remember bits of what her grandfather had told her about these herbs. If she did something wrong, perhaps the nature of the properties would be destroyed and she would have to start anew. Would they be destroyed by overheating? Would they work at all when she didn't cook them long enough? She indecisively watched as the water slowly started to warm. She was pretty sure the leaves should be added after the liquid was boiling. When the water bubbled she added the leaves and waited again, counting the seconds in her head. When it is close to five minutes she lifted the kettle and poured the sweet-smelling liquid in a white cup.

The scent seemed about right. It was even the soft green colour it was supposed to be and Chiharu smiled, wondering if she'd actually done it right and the qualities of the leaves had leaked out into the water. Pouring a bit of the potion in another cup she brought it quickly to her mouth, sniffing it slowly. It did smell like the stuff her grandfather would make for her, years back just after the accident. Quickly taking a sip she winced. Aside from it being too hot, burning the roof of her mouth and her tongue, it tasted strongly bitter and unpleasant. Making a face she shuddered. It tasted exactly how she remembered it would. It should do the trick.

"I am not drinking that."

Of course, there was always that. She sighed. "It is good for you. It helps those wounds heal better."

He gave her a stubborn look, looking more than his brother that he would have liked and Chiharu gripped the cup with the infusion in it tightly between her fingers.

"Just drink it. If I can drink it, then how could it be something bad for you?"

"The smell offends me."

'Your existence offends me,' she thought darkly and crossed the clearing. He batted at her, his movements sludgy and inaccurate, yet, some of the liquid still spilt and splashed on the forest-floor and she felt a muscle in her cheek twitch. "Do you have to be difficult?"

"I am not drinking that." He told her again and she stared at him.

"Oh, for God's sake, even my brother, who is nine years old, isn't this difficult." She told him, hoping being compared to her _lowly_ human brother would do the trick. It wasn't true of course. When Sōta had to drink infusions grandfather made he acted as if someone made an attempt on his life. Yet, she wasn't about to tell Sesshōmaru that.

He gave her a cold, tired look and with one well-aimed swipe of his arm, flipped her feet out from under her and she fell harshly on the forest floor. How she managed to keep her cup up and at least some of the contents of it, she had no idea. The sun was bright and the birds chirped while the taller Daiyōkai glared down at her.

She slowly sat up.

He cracked his fingers when she held up the cup again and she realised he was using his left arm again. Her eyes widened slightly. "You're healing fast."

"I am not my brother," he coldly told her.

"Right," She slowly got to her feet, knees suddenly buckling and she fell to the forest floor again. "What? How do you do that?"

He didn't answer. It shouldn't have surprised her. She gruffly returned to the fire, body tired and face pale. She glanced at Sesshōmaru though her peripheral vision. He was looking much better and with growing horror she realised he had drained her from her power. Cheeks flushing in indignation, he had pretty much set her up. Closing her eyes,

Massaging the bridge of her nose she rolled her shoulders as her reiki travelled through her, pink energy travelling through her veins. When she opened her eye again, she felt slightly better. Pressing her lips together in a hard line and started to set out of her cooking devices. Shippō eyed Sesshōmaru warily when he returned, sniffed at the sweet-smelling liquid and pinched his face before offering the fish to her. The Daiyōkai watched her silently as she cooked the fish, cooking rice as well, to complete the dish.

They ate well of the fish, and they sat back huddled around the fire, watching the sparks of the fire ascend towards the sky. Chiharu caught _him_ looking at her. When she caught Inuyasha looking at her, or even Miroku, they always diverted their eyes, yet the Daiyōkai held her gaze. She fidgeted, rubbing her hands together.

He suddenly got to his feet, she hadn't expected that, even with his healing rate, and stalked towards her. Shippō squeaked falling over his own feet as fingers curled into the collar of her haori and hoisted her up again. She gasped, immediately reminded of the day in the yōkai graveyard where he had done the exact same thing and tried to duck out of his arm but even weakened he was faster than she was. She found herself suddenly pressed against a tree, the rough bark of the tree biting into her cheek.

"What—" she gasped, trying to swipe her hand at him the way Inuyasha had taught her and winced when he caught it and twisted it behind her back. Her other wrist was easily captured as well, one large hand holding both of her wrists while the other hand, fully healed and fully functional, wrapped around the soft dark strands tipping her head back.

"Don't!" she gasped, fear almost overwhelming her. "I tried to help you."

"Stop your whining, girl." He snapped, she could practically feel his eyes on her neck glancing at the angry red of the puckered flesh. Shippō snarled, foolishly charging and although Sesshōmaru did let go of her hair for a moment to knock the child out with a flick of his wrist, he had her head tipped back before Shippō even fell to the floor.

"How— You hurt him!" she whimpered renewing her struggles. Her power so drained it didn't aid her in the slightest and his proximity wasn't helping either. Trying to sidestep him, while he had her body so effectively pressed against the tree, didn't work and the tingles running down her arms and legs intensified.

She tilted her head, glancing at his face and shuddered when she noticed a frightening smirk slowly pulled at the corners of his mouth. "Perhaps, little human, you have your uses."

He craned her neck, tipping her it back and craning his mark to him. His mouth clamped down over the angry mark and she gasped. All sensations stopped at once and Chiharu sighed. Even though her neck stung when canines pierced her skin, she couldn't help but lean her head willingly back against his shoulder. She felt his youki swirl through her and her senses calmed, finally the prickles, the jittery feeling she felt all the time fell away.

She sighed again, as his tongue swirled over the new wound he'd made and then… he was gone…

 _To be continued…_

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 **A/N: I will not generalise anyone, but in my opinion, some men are absolutely hopeless when they're sick. I know for a fact women can be horrid as well (don't get me wrong), but it sometimes seems to me that men act touch when someone else is feeling under the weather, but when they've got it themselves… Horror. Or at least, that is how my brother acts when he is sick. Absolutely unhelpful when I or my mum are sick, but when he himself caught something nasty — the flu or a sinus infection — he was overbearing, demanding and acted like he was about to die.**

 **Either way, he acts like a child. So this (Sesshōmaru's) display of childishness is largely based on my brother's sickly days.**

 **I tried to make Chiharu as much as a nowadays teenager as I could. I myself have been no help with that. I will admit, although never out loud, I used to play with dolls till I was fifteen years old and only had a crush (strange flutterings in my stomach, my best friend had a field day) on someone for the first time. I was seventeen so obviously, can't say I'm the right person to look to.**

 **Anyway, please comment! I love to know what you all think!**

 **Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi**


	16. Chapter 15, Back to the Future

**And here is chapter fifteen. A bit of a Christmas special. Anyway, more than 100 reviews! I have to admit it does make me very happy. And to all of you who take the time to review; Thank you! I love them. I'll admit this is a bit of Higurashi family fluff (because hell, I've written zero about her home situation which doesn't make much sense). Next chapter will feature Sesshomaru again, but this one will built up to it^^**

 **Enjoy!**

 **InuYasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi.**

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 **o.O.o**

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 **Chapter Fifteen, Back to the Future**

 _'You'll never really see how toxic someone is until you breathe fresher air.'_

 **C** hiharu Higurashi flipped around in her bed to lie on her stomach, laying on her forearms. She peered at the washed-out curtains of her bedroom, the old desk against the wall and her cheerfully decorated billboard near the window. The clock was ticking loudly and she squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block the sound out. It had been weird travelling through the well (again), but she was glad she was home again. The bright light of the sun broke through the gap of her curtain, attacking her eyes. She raised her hand to shield her eyes and sucked her cheeks between her teeth.

Kagome was upset, the music in her room playing as she studied. A math High school mock-exam only a day away. Chiharu slowly got up from her bed and stumbled towards her desk and flicked her desk lamp on. The light was softly buzzing and with a heavy sigh, she extracted her notebook and her textbook from her drawer. She could at least try to perform well on her test, even though she still didn't think they could start high school only five months away. Grumbling inwardly, she slipped down behind her desk and started her computer. They'd gotten an email with all of the homework and the test material she should get through.

Nibbling on a pencil with her teeth, Chiharu flipped through the pages of her textbook, marking the pages she was supposed to learn from and waited for the internet to start up. She watched the light from the sun disappear and the clock tick the hours away, while she poured over the theory, tracing her finger over the figures in her textbook. Math had never been her favourite subject, yet she did have a mind for solving logical problems so it was never her worst subject either. Nibbling at the back of her pencil again.

Mrs Higurashi had left a few hours ago, a note taped to the fridge that she had gone out to the grocery store. Since they were at the end of December, the day darkened early. Sōta was in his room, playing a game on his PlayStation and Christmas was only a few days away. They had one big test just before the Christmas holidays started and Kagome wanted to stay over at their original time.

The radio downstairs constantly carolled Christmas songs and as she scrolled through one of the assignments Sakura had written down. It was hard to concentrate on something as silly as school work. She closed her eyes, scraping her nails lightly over the top of her desk. When she woke at first she had been unsure why her kosode was covered in blood and after Shippō launched himself at her, she finally remembered.  
For three long, wet days she'd wandered through he forest, back to Kaede's village only to find her friends and sister there. Inuyasha was bleeding from a deep gash at his side and Miroku and Sango had the umpteenth disagreement about the Hōshi being a pervert while Kagome was sulking near the Bone-Eaters well.

Inuyasha had known she was feeling better. He peered at her neck, at the stains of blood on her collar and slowly stared at her face. He never commented on it. He could be very awkward, but for some reason, he seemed to be very able to tell when not to comment on something.

Chiharu stared at her computer screen again before turning it off, taking her book with her, she propped herself up against her pillows and read through the theory again. The stereo in her sister's bedroom still echoing loudly through the house and after an hour listening to Madonna and Shakira she crawled into her bed before throwing her shoe against the wall.

"What?"

"Turn that bloody thing down," Chiharu yelled back, slightly amused that their usual way of communication still worked. "If you don't get it now, you'll not get it anymore."

She heard her sister curse quietly but after a few minutes did turn the volume down.

A swirl of sound assaulted her the next morning as her alarm clocked buzzed loudly. Chiharu groaned, blindly reached around for the alarm clock, putting it on snooze and tried dozing off. It didn't work because a moment later knuckles knocked against her bedroom door.

"Onee-san!" Sōta screamed. "Mum says you have to get out. Breakfast is ready."

"Five more minutes," she mumbled and the door creaked open. Sōta's soft footballs sounded and slowly the comforter she had tried to hide under was pulled back.

"Mum said there wasn't enough time for five more minutes."

Chiharu glared at the young boy and leaned her head on her lower arms. "And she sent you because she knows you're my favourite."

He offered her a toothy grin before dropping down to her crawling up beside her. "Yes," he admitted, "I missed you Onee-san."

"I missed you too, honey." She whispered back, dropping a kiss on his forehead. He made a face and she chuckled. When their father died and Chiharu had been hurt herself, she'd been at home for a long time. Therefore, when she'd finally grown tired of being babied she helped her mother take care of Sōta. It was why there was such a strong bond between them. She tucked her arm around his waist and breathed in the soft scent that was all Sōta.

"We're going to decide about middle schools today." He told her seriously and she snickered.

"Isn't that a bit early?"

"Yes," he admitted quietly, "but Nona-Sensei said you can never be too ready."

"Hm," Chiharu nodded, raking her nails carefully through his hair, "I suppose she has a point."

"Sōta!" Mrs Higurashi suddenly yelled. "Chiharu, time to come down."

"Yes, mama." Chiharu answered, sighing in Sōta's hair.

"Such a bad thing to do, conspiring against your older sister." She muttered and Sōta grinned at her.

She started to climb over him, dropping a kiss on his forehead and rummaging throughout her wardrobe. Her school uniform felt odd against her body. It felt strangely inadequate in protecting her modesty and she shook her head in confusion. Running around in a time where dressing in several layers was normal for women started to rub off on her. Chiharu buttoned her blouse up, her pyjama bottoms crumbling at her feet and her skirt loosely hung at her hips. She had lost a lot of weight, her stomach flat and her ribs still visible, skin tightly stretched over the bones. She sighed adjusting the button on the inside of her skirt until it didn't slip from her hips and sloppily pulled a brush through her hair.

"Are you going to make a braid, Onee-san?"

"What, are you applying to be my hairdresser today, kiddo?"

He gave her a sulky looked, twisting the end of his tie between his fingers and she turned to the mirror next to her window. The angry red puckered flesh of her neck had become a lot less angry and puckered. The only thing remaining was a darkened scar that looked like a birthmark and she sighed, before pushing her hair back with a hairband.

Sōta looked at her appraisingly before following his older sister out of her room and downstairs to the kitchen. Mrs Higurashi peered out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on her apron and smiled. "I see Sōta got you out of bed?"

"Hm hm," Chiharu answered. Kagome was sitting at the kitchen table eating steamed rice, miso soup and a piece of salmon fish. Her textbook was opened next to her, and as she sipped from her soup, Kagome's eyes flitted over the pages.

Chiharu slumped down and accepted a bowl with soup. Sōta sat next to her, foot swinging above the kitchen floor. His fingers busily pushing the buttons on his tamagotchi device. He'd gotten it from one of his friends and now he had a pet to feed and to entertain. Every time he fed it a small beeping noise would sound.

When Jii-chan stepped into the kitchen it was time for the Higurashi sisters to go. Kagome rubbed her hands together before slipping into her winter jacket. Their mother walking out of the house behind them. She wrapped a scarf her youngest daughter's neck — who protested softly — and kissed her eldest on her cheek.

"Try your best." She whispered and both girls crossed the courtyard descending the shrine steps. The Higurashi shrine was close to the underground and during rush-hour, it was the fastest _safest_ way to get yourself somewhere. Mock exams were held in a different building and it was just on the other side of town.

The metro was busy. Kagome and Chiharu shuffled together near one of the windows, hands gripping at the bar. The metro was packed with people, always crowded, everyone pushing against each other. The neon lights from the underground flickered and a thin layer of condensation had started on the glass windows of the metro. Chiharu peered out of the window, glancing at the city skyline, trying to distract herself from all that bombarded her senses. It wasn't working properly.

The music coming from someone's headphone, sitting on one of the seats to her right, was much too loud and there were far too many people packed into the small compartment of the train. Chiharu wrinkled her nose and wrapped her rain jacked tightly around her small frame. Kagome didn't seem to be bothered and chattered on about their upcoming Math test. Chiharu wasn't bothered per se. She felt alienated, capable of hearing so many sounds and smells around her.

Her fingers automatically went to her throat, softly tracing the angry mark and Kagome gasped. "Are you okay? Is it hurting again?"

"No," She answered. Ever since he'd — her face grew hot — swirled his tongue over the irritated flesh of the mark, she had felt fine. No pains, no aches, just a stronger awareness of his life-force and perhaps a stronger thrum in her blood that wanted her to find him. Still, she was all right. "It's fine. It's just difficult."

Kagome nodded, even though she didn't understand. Her older sister thought that pain was difficult. The only difficult part, but the scents, the sounds and even the sight sometimes, they were difficult. Being in a smelly train, with so many humans who had a strong scent thanks to all the deodorants and perfumes available, she was overwhelmed by her senses.

"How do you think we'll do?" Kagome asked nervously, "I mean even with Yuka's notes we've missed so much!"

Chiharu didn't really think it mattered that much. No matter how well they did, they had missed so many schooldays — 'because of the birdbox' their grandfather had said when the school had called —, she suspected they would have to repeat the year anyway. Chiharu supposed that was fine. That way they could start the upcoming year in April and, even though they would be a year older than the other children, they would be able to finish school and get into college just like their parents had always wanted.

She certainly didn't want to start looking for work with just her Middle-school diploma. If it meant repeating a year, by all means, she wouldn't care.

"Chiharu-chan?"

"Yes?"

"What do you think?"

"Honestly, Kagome-neesan?" Chiharu started, "I don't think I care. How long do you think we'll be busy with searching for the jewel shards? Because I don't see that done in the upcoming two months. And when high school starts we can't afford to miss so much. There will be so many tests and all of them will decide what college or university we could get into. Don't you think, repeating a year, and increase the timespan to do that, to get ready for college would be better for us? Don't you think that would work better in combination of collecting the Shikon-no-tama shards?"

Kagome chewed on her lower lip and slowly shrugged her shoulders. "Perhaps."

The metro pulled into the station. The doors opened and people thronged out. Kagome and Chiharu, surrounded by the throng of people, struggled to get out onto the platform. The two girls silently followed after a group of students, dressed in high school uniforms, and hurried towards the escalators. When they stepped out of the metro station and on the sidewalks a chilly wind was chilly assaulted them. The sky was dark with grey clouds.

Chiharu readjusted the knot of her scarf and followed Kagome down the street. The test centre

They had to take an elevator to one of the upper floors. Chiharu rested her head against the wall of the elevator as it whizzed up. Kagome stood silently opposite of her, twisting her straps of her rucksack between her fingers. When they arrived at the sixth floor they met up with their friends from the Modern Era. Or perhaps Chiharu should say Kagome's friends, as Yukia, Ayumi and Eri almost threw themselves at the older Higurashi twin.

Chiharu carefully extracted herself from the scene the girls were already making and sat down next to Sakura Sanka. Sakura had been Chiharu's closest friend for years, yet not even the cosplaying Sakura who liked to dye her hair pink knew about Kagome's and Chiharu's life in Sengoku jidai. Chiharu had considered telling her, but if she was honest not even Sakura would believe her and probably decide she was just as much a lunatic as her grandfather.

"Good morning," Sakura greeted her friend brightly. "Feeling better?"

"As good as I can, I suppose," Chiharu answered, digging her pencils, ballpoint, marker and calculator out of her bag.

She'd lost two of her pencils immediately as Sakura snatched them from her table and smiled even brighter. "Good, because I forgot to bring a pen."

"I suppose I am lucky that's the only thing you forgot," Chiharu answered placing her calculator on the other side of the table and propped her chin up with her free hand. A square-shouldered man handed out the exam papers and exactly at nine they started the exam. Needlessly to say, the exam was a bit of a disaster. Although, Chiharu could count on her natural understanding of the subject — thank god it wasn't science — Kagome didn't have that and when they left the testing centre she was sulking.

As they left Hōjō intercepted them to offer Kagome — and reluctantly Chiharu, because she happened to be there as well — a special medicinal item to help with their bird pox and Crohn disease. Both girls smiled tersely and wondered exactly what cover stories their grandfather used for their frequent absences at school.

"Crohn's disease?" Kagome hissed when they were sitting in the metro again.

"Bowel inflaming." Chiharu answered.

"I know that!" Kagome snapped. "What I just don't get is why he can't just say we have mono or something!"

Chiharu shrugged. "At least he's playing along."

"There is that." She reluctantly agreed.

They would get their result by mail so there was nothing they could do about it. The vehicle continued to move, gliding smoothly over the metal tracks. The buildings had disappeared as the train had gone underground, neon lights of the tunnel flashing by. When they moved up again, a thick fog had dotted the skyline. When they returned home their mother had made them Udon and Kagome slightly regained her good spirits, once again looking forward to spending Christmas with her family.

In the weekend before Christmas the Higurashi children decorated a Christmas tree together, putting up lights and several ornaments. Their mum and Jii-chan told them stories about their father, a man none of the Higurashi children really remembered, and they all silently listened as Jii-chan told them about the time their father sneaked out of the house and hurt himself climbing the fence at school to go see their mum.

At Christmas Eve, Inuyasha suddenly arrived. Their mother, being the smart independent woman she was, smiled warmly at him and presented the Hanyō with a pair of sweats and a thick sweater. Chiharu smiled when he emerged from Sōta's room fingers curled through the belt loops and an awkward expression on his face.

"That looks good on you," Chiharu teased him lightly and he scowled at her.

They drove to a quiet street with small gift shops and parked the car. Mrs Higurashi and Jii-chan took them for a long walk through the streets of Tokyo. The Christmas lights in the shop-windows and in the Christmas trees shining brightly. They ate chicken drumsticks before enjoying a traditional Christmas sponge cake, decorated with strawberries and whipped cream.

Inuyasha certainly enjoyed the Kentucky Fried Chicken, wolfing it down so fast the perky, curly waitress stared at him open-mouthed. As Inuyasha started nicking chicken legs from Chiharu and Kagome, the waitress came by with another portion because she thought he was cute. Chiharu thought it rather amusing that the Hanyō turned as red as the firerat haori he normally wore and stammered a 'thank you' before wolfing that portion down as well.

The Christmas cake wasn't received as enthusiastically as the drumsticks, yet everyone enjoyed themselves. Once they were saturated they decided to visit a Christmas market. Kagome squealed happily, rubbing her hands together as they passed the stalls. She stopped at every one of them, cooing at the lights and gazing at the numerous handmade ornaments.

"And this is?" Inuyasha asked, pushing his baseball hat up and furrowed his brows at Kagome as she peered at a green ornament.

"She likes shiny things." Chiharu shrugged. "And it is sort of a tradition."

"Right, this time is weird."

"I'm pretty sure we think that about your time half of the time." She told him and he 'Feh'd'.

"Who wants some hot wine?" Jii-chan asked brightly and Mrs Higurashi sighed wistfully.

"Hot wine?" Inuyasha muttered as Sōta nodded his head excitedly while Mrs Higurashi shoed him away as Jii-chan started to hand out cups with Glühwein. Sōta sulked when he didn't get a glass but as Kagome dragged Mrs Higurashi off towards a stall with more ornaments, their little brother happily pressed himself against his older sister.

"Onee-chan?"

"No,"

"Please, just one, tiny, little sip!" He begged and he peered up at her with large round eyes and she grimaced.

"Why don't you try this with Kagome-neesan?" she asked tiredly and Inuyasha laughed.

"Because you're the easy one, wench." He told her.

"Osuwari," she told him huffily and he stiffened. Of course, it didn't work but his horrified face was enough to make her smile and she walked forward, keeping one hand on Sōta's back before indeed allowing him one sip.

"Oi, Chiharu!"

She ignored him and Sōta jumped up and down excitedly. "Can I have another one?"

Chiharu clucked the rest of the drink down just as Inuyasha grabbed her shoulder. Souta huffed childishly and sullenly moved towards his grandfather while Inuyasha glared at Chiharu's face.

"You tried to sit me!"

"Oh, don't be dramatic, I knew it wouldn't work!" she told him, rolling her eyes at him. "Though your face was priceless."

He huffed stomping forward and she chuckled. Kagome gave him a murderous look when his shoulder bumped against hers and she dropped the ornament. At least she refrained from sitting him in public but the way home was less enjoying than the evening had been. Their fight ended with Inuyasha stalking into the shrine and jumping through the well. Chiharu eyed her sister warily while following Sōta into the house.

"Nee-san, why did Inuyasha leave?" Sōta suddenly asked as he hung his jacket up on the coatrack.

"Because he's a stubborn arse." Kagome snapped back and Sōta moved back towards where Chiharu had slumped down onto the couch.

"And your boyfriend?"

"Sōta, I don't have a boyfriend." Chiharu answered.

"Kagome-neesan won't have any boyfriend if she keeps pushing him does she?" he asked her earnestly and Kagome shot him a dark glare.

"Sōta, Honey, why don't you explain to me how your tamagotchi works?" Chiharu swiftly asked and the boy nodded excitedly.

He was in the middle of explaining what a dead skull around his little pet's face meant when Kagome huffed — 'I'm going to take a bath' — and spent the rest of the evening in the hot water, probably mulling over the recent fight she and Inuyasha had.

 _To be continued…_

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 **A/N: Next update will be around Thursday next week. I really like Sōta and Chiharu's relationship. A bit of sibling bonding (which is a bit of an issue in the Inuyasha universe). Stay tuned for the next update^^**

 **Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi**


	17. Chapter 16, West

**A/N: Almost Christmas! I'm looking forward to the holidays and it's time for my weekly update^^. This chapter contains a bit more of Sesshōmaru and Chiharu**

 **Enjoy!**

 **InuYasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi.**

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 **o.O.o**

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 **Chapter Sixteen, West**

 **W** hen they returned to Edo it was raining. Chiharu's hands slipped a bit on the damp edge of the well before hoisting herself up and over. The leaves overhead rustled in a soft wind and Chiharu sits on the ledge, chin propped up on one hand as she gazed at the naked branches of the trees surrounding her.

"Chiharu-chan?" Kagome Higurashi asked, fingers twisted into thick creepers and face flushed with colour as she attempted to pull herself out of the well.

"Right, hold on," Chiharu answered, ignoring the soft mutterings from the elder Higurashi.

With a hand tightly wrapped around her sister's wrist, Chiharu helped Kagome up and dropped her heavy, yellow backpack to the ground. As Kagome puffed, readjusting the buttons on her coat, the younger Higurashi sister stood still in the drizzling rain, letting it numbing her body until she was trembling slightly. Nothing could calm her more than breathing in the clean, crisp, silent air of the Sengoku-jidai. There was no tainted air, apart from the metallic scent coming from the bloodbaths that were quite normal in this era, and the silence, the serenity of it all, calmed her heightened senses. She sighed before suddenly she noticed something weird. She looked up into the trees, eyebrows scrunched up together. She knew in an instant he was there.

"Chiharu-chan?"

"I'm sorry," she answered her older sister slowly, peering at the other girl, "I was preoccupied with something else."

"Right," Kagome answered putting up an umbrella. They slowly started down the path towards the village, the clouds overhead already gone when they reached the marketplace.

The sun had already set and the only light that shone into the darkness, except the flickering light of the moon was from the campfires. They waited for a moment, Kagome hoping Inuyasha would meet them, but after several minutes, Chiharu's constantly flitting through the trees, they cross the marketplace towards Kaede's hut.

"He's not in a good mood." Kagome muttered angrily and Chiharu rolled her eyes.

"Why were you fighting with him anyway?" Chiharu asked softly. After 'the episode at Christmas Eve' — as Souta called it — Kagome had reluctantly returned to Sengoku jidai. They had stayed only for a few hours when a new argument ensured. The argument had quickly escalated into a yelling match which ended with an 'Osuwari' followed by an 'I'm going home', before the older Higurashi sister ran out of Kaede's hut and returned home.

"I mean most of your squabbles are silly to even begin with," Chiharu said when Kagome didn't answer and frowned. "You should stop being childish with him."

"Don't pick his side!" she huffed.

"Who else is going to pick his side?" she asked softly. Wincing when leaves and twigs snapped under her feet and against the large yellow bag. It was rather dark and the moonlight failed to properly penetrate the thick canopy of leaves above their heads. "No one in our group ever does and in my opinion the both of you are childish. Considering I'm your sister, I don't have to protect your feelings."

"You should," Kagome grumbled. "You are supposed to be on my side, exactly because you are my twin sister."

"I sort of am." Chiharu nodded. Kagome glowered at her. "You know, I am on your side when someone else talks to me, but I don't have to be on your side when talking to you. Yes, that's the beauty of being your sister, I always win."

"There are times, I hate you," Kagome told her darkly and Chiharu shrugged, pushing one of her hands in the pocket of her coat. She had left her Miko garbs at Kaede's and now wore a heavy trench-coat, dark blue jeans and simple loafers. Some villagers were still up and about, most of them eyeing her warily when passed. Chiharu narrowed her eyes. She still remembered how easily they had turned on her and as one of the farmers peered at her with that cold, creepy look in his eyes, she glared.

When they passed the washing line, Chiharu took her Miko clothes off and took them with her into Kaede's hut. Sango and Miroku were deep in conversation when they entered and Chiharu kicked off her shoes, before stepping into a pair of sandals. Inuyasha sat against the wooden wall, eyes closed and Shippō the Kitsune was playing happily in a corner with the small fire-cat yōkai until he caught their scent. His eyes went wide and his smile huge.

"Kagome-chan, Chiharu-chan!" he hollered, the other occupants smiled as the little boy bounded towards the two girls. "Welcome back!"

"Hey, Shippō-chan. Have you been enjoying yourself?"

"Inuyasha has been a tool." He pouted.

"What were the two of you fighting about?" Chiharu asked.

"Unimportant, really!" Sango told them dryly and Miroku the Hōshi nodded in agreement. Chiharu sat down next to Kaede's sleeping form, silently dropping Kagome's heavy backpack on the floor next to her. Shippō whispered excitedly to himself and jumped on the backpack, rummaging through its contents. His smile grew when he pulled out the box of crayons, a new sketchbook and a box of sugary peach candy.

"What are those?"

"New candy," Kagome answered.

"We thought you would like it," Chiharu answered, scratching the kit behind his ears.

"Kagome," the elderly Miko slowly sat up, her hair slightly in disarray, "Ah, Chiharu too. It's so good to see ya both, children."

Kagome smiled at the older woman and sat down too. Chiharu watched the two exchange words of love and curled her toes in her sandals, pushing them closer to the fire-pit. Her bow and quiver full of arrows laying on the dirt next to the hut's entrance. She smiled as she let Shippō snuggle into her and watched the fire create never-ending shapes. Her friends and her sister were softly conversing and after a few hours, the moon at the height of his zenith, they unrolled their mats and sleeping bags. Chiharu ran her fingers through Shippō's hair as he settled down next to her. Their sleeping material covered every inch of Kaede's floor space and hummed a soft lullaby until Shippō dozed off. She didn't have to wait long before the others were sleeping as well. He was still there.

I-I. ⌡. Γ┐

Silver hair blew gently in the wind and the chilly shadows of winter stretched out over the forest floor. Sesshōmaru\s posture was straight, his gait easy and his face a mask of apathy. He black boots moved silently through the forest, his eyes shuttered with long silver eyelashes as he glanced through the foliage. The girl appeared just as he knew she would. He did not know how she managed to conceal herself so well, but she suddenly appeared. She and that strange sister of hers.

Sesshōmaru watched as both girls climbed out of the old water well in the centre of what the humans called 'Inuyasha's forest', both strangely dressed in clothes he'd only seen the man in the West wear. And even they didn't wear such inadequate footwear. His Miko was wearing a long blue coat and the usually scathingly dressed one — who liked to wear clothes not even the lowest of concubines in his lands dared to wear — wore a slim-fitting coat. She was still wearing too little, with bare legs and high socks. He wondered idly if she did that to please his fool of a half-brother. Sesshōmaru almost snorted out loud, it wasn't like Inuyasha noticed, nor cared. The fool was still not over the resurrected Miko.

The youngest girl rubbed her hands together, helped her sister out of the well and slung an ugly yellow pack over her shoulders. Small jewel pieces shone in the pale light of the moon. He squinted his eyes, peering at the Shikon shards in a small glass jar dangling from a fine silver chain on her neck. He knew, of course, they had been collecting them, but he had never sensed them on her. The girl briefly glanced up at the sky. He stood quite a distance above from her on the uprooting branches of a large oak tree and yet her eyes gazed straight at him.

The eldest of the two opened up a strange rain shield and he frowned. The rain had already ceased its constant dinging against the metallic surface of his armour and, as he inhaled deeply, he suspected it would not continue much longer, yet the girl still needed the shelter of an inadequate rain shield. He would have snorted, but right now he only wanted to speak to the Miko and not have his half-brother shouting obscenities. He could do without the fool right now.

So he chose to abide his time, watching the two girls go towards the village, watched the girl get into the hut and he stayed gazing out over the village. Slowly he peered at the dried-up well again. There was an echo of magic he had no knowledge of and that grated him.

With a crack of his knuckles, he sat back on a branch, his senses extended outward. If she hadn't already sensed him, then she should sense him now. He peered up at the black sky above, riddled with stars. The weather was chilly and the temperature had dropped with the sun going down.

His half-brother was the first one to get out of the hut. For a second Sesshōmaru thought the half-breed had sensed him, but the boy merely jumped up on the roof of the elderly Miko's home, gazing up at the sky. He was as oblivious to his presence as usual. It was rather pathetic.

The girl got out of the hut not long after. She was once again dressed in her normal clothes, except for that strange long coat of hers, and was making her way into the forest. A quiver with arrows and a bow hung over her shoulder.

He was somewhat amused and somewhat irritated. So the little thing had indeed sensed him, had she? He cloaked his scent and aura until there was no way she could sense him anymore. Not even with the advantage, she didn't even know she had. He waited until she stepped through the foliage, eyes flitting over the treetops. He appeared behind her, she was halfway done turning around, but he already had her pinned against a tree, hand clasped over her mouth.

"Miko,"

She mumbled something in his hand, anger radiating from her small form and he smirked when she foolishly tried the elbow him. With one swipe, he pushed the girl off her balance and pulled her up. Her feet kicked in the empty air and he jumped up, one arm wrapped around her waist. She shrieked, eyes growing wide when he took to the sky. When he landed on a thick branch he heard her audible exhale. Once again he peered at her. He had seen his half-brother hauling her up on his back when following after the wolf-yōkai. Had seen her soaring through the air, going up to great heights, yet she seemed somewhat worried.

The readily way she exposed her emotions was something he was unfamiliar with. She was blunt and talkative, not unlike Rin, and as her heart-rate calmed she glared at him.

I-I. ⌡. Γ┐

Chiharu waited until everyone was asleep. Sango laying motionlessly on a sleeping mat, Miroku sitting against the wooden wall of the hut, Kagome rolled up in her sleeping bag, like a worm and Shippō cuddled into Chiharu's sleeping bag. She slipped into her winter coat and swung her quiver with arrows and her bow over her shoulder. She knew he was still there, but she just couldn't figure out why. What could he possibly still want that made him stalk them?

She stomped through the foliage, moving towards the well, but as her aura searched the air she could no longer sense him. She knew he was there. Knew it with a certainty she didn't know she had, but as she peered around, she did not know where he was. She peered through the darkened forest, brows furrowed, the light of the moon barely penetrating enough through leaves of the trees.

Leaves from above her rustled and she tried turning around, but suddenly a hand clamped over her mouth, muffling her scream and another hand wrapped around her waist. He slammed her harshly against a tree and she cursed — not that he could tell —. She kicked her legs, trying to get him to loosen his grip and as a last resort tried to elbow him. Chiharu tried peering over her shoulder, but she only saw a lock of silver hair. He didn't budge even a centimetre and she felt his breath fanning out over her ear.

"Miko,"

She tried telling him that he was an arsehole, but with his hand still firmly clasped around her mouth, her words were muffled. Maybe it was better than they were and suddenly he jumped up. Chiharu screamed, although she might have jumped up trees and climbed a few mountains, that was a bit different from flying up in the air. Watching the ground below her become smaller and smaller she almost had a heart attack. The wind rustled through her clothes and suddenly they landed on a thick branch of the large Go-Shin-Boku tree. When their feet landed on a rough bark he let her go. She exhaled loudly her face quickly reddening and peered at the ground. They were at least sixty feet up, but at least now she was standing on her own feet again.

"When you leave, where do you go Miko?"

"That's what you want to ask me?" she asked, glaring at the ground below. She had let her bow drop to the forest floor and she felt a flicker of anger and reiki charge through her.

"Where do you go when you disappear into that well?" He asked again.

She glared at him, his long silver hair tousling in the wind and his golden eyes looking down at her. He was quite handsome, although more annoying than anything else and she sighed softly. No matter what she did, he would want an answer anyway. "That's hard to explain."

He gave her a curious look and she wondered when she stopped being a pest that should be dispatched off and started to become somewhat of an enigma. Chiharu slowly sunk to her knees, settling more comfortable on the thick branch and let one of her legs dangle.

His expression got slightly more irritated when she failed to answer him and, considering Sesshōmaru being in a tolerable mood was rare, she sighed again. "I don't come from here." She admitted. "There's a special sort of magic in and around the well that allows me and my sister— you know who my sister is, right?— to travel back and forth."

He was silent for a moment and Chiharu wondered if he was buying her somewhat lame explanation at all.

"The barely dressed one."

"What?"

"Your sister."

"Oh," Chiharu lamely muttered, "right, yes, that's my sister."

He didn't comment anymore and Chiharu glanced around. From this point, she had a fantastic point of view. She had known Kagome stood out with the strange way she dressed — considering the way Sesshōmaru eyed her winter coat Chiharu was pretty sure she herself stood out as well right now — but she had never considered that was what she would be known for. Admittedly, since Kagome had Inuyasha to protect her from the very beginning she had hardly any reason to adapt herself to the Sengoku period. Not only that but the older Higurashi girl hadn't had any real reason to hone her Miko abilities either. It was a luxury Chiharu hadn't had when she first came to Sengoku jidai, and honing the wild power that ran through her veins seemed necessary, instead of the waste of time Kagome seemed to think it was.

"Was that all you wanted of me?" Chiharu asked slowly. The river up north sparkled in the cast of the moonlight and the smooth rocks surrounding the river bank were covered in soft green moss.

"You are letting my brother train you." It wasn't a question.

Chiharu peered at him through her lashes. His face looked rather put out and she almost smiled. What had he expected? She trailed her fingers over the deep grooves on the bark of the branch and shrugged. "I needed to learn, didn't I?"

He narrowed his eyes at her and she shrugged.

"My brother won't teach you a thing. He uses brute force and doesn't think before he acts." Sesshōmaru muttered and Chiharu wondered exactly to what extent he had tried to straighten him out. When Inuyasha taught her, he had been determined for her to use her senses. He'd taught her basic hand-to-hand combat, which he admittedly rarely used in fights with enemies, and taught her to track rather effectively. He arched a brow at her mystified expression.

"He does rather well," she answered stiffly.

"You did sense me." He told her, it almost sounded like a compliment, but

"That I did."

"Even though my brother did not."

"Am I not special?" She muttered sarcastically, clamping her jaws together when she realised he might find her tone offensive. She had done so well surviving, pushing his buttons now might not be her best idea.

"Humans are weak."

She had no idea where that came from and she frowned at him, peering up at him through her lashes. Personally, she didn't see it that way. True, humans could easily die from the elements. From the cold or even from too much heat. From sickness and wounds that didn't even make the Daiyōkai twitch yet…

"I don't agree." She told him evenly. He probably didn't care a lick if she agreed or not, but at least they were passed the part where he threatened and she feared for her life. "True, yōkai are stronger. But we adapt. No matter what it takes, we adapt."

He peered at her, eyes unreadable. "Adapt?"

"For instance, we built houses." She told him dryly, he raised an eyebrow. This was the weirdest conversation she'd ever had with him until now. "We're smart. We use material that can protect us against the weather, yet it can also hold warmth."

"And what does one human need besides a house?"

"Erm," Chiharu shifted, unsure where his questions came from. "Besides clothes and food? Gee, warmth, enough sleep and a healthy rhythm, I suppose."

"Shelter is necessary?"

"Yes," she nodded, "although, I suppose staying warm by building fires and finding shelter when it rains and snows works too."

"Hn,"

"Why do you want to know?"

He didn't answer. Chiharu almost rolled her eyes before getting up to her feet. It was cold and as the chilly wind pulled at her hair, she pushed her hands into the pockets of her coat. Above, a large cloud floated in front of the moon, casting large shadows over them. She peered at him through her lashes. He was no longer looking at her, seemingly engrossed in his own thoughts a slight beam of light falling over his forehead. The purple crescent moon in stark contrast to his pale skin and she chewed on her lower-lip. The moon and the stripes on his cheeks were they actually symbols of his family. She wanted to ask, but then again, he might take offence. He took offence at the smallest things.

"You are staring."

"Right," she muttered, "I'm going back."

He didn't stop her. She massaged her temples before jumping down. The forest-floor was damp beneath the soles of her sandals and she almost slipped. She felt his stare on her back and quickened her pace. Inuyasha was awake, sitting back against the roof of Kaede's hut and shifted to a sitting position when he saw her.

"What did he want?" He demanded softly. At least he had the sense not to make a scene. Then again, he might have understood that she did not answer if he was his unreasonable short-tempered self and she shrugged.

"Talk to me about houses…"

"What?" Inuyasha asked, his irritation slightly falling away.

"You shouldn't ask, I don't really know." She told him, unbuttoning her coat and slipping into the hut. It had been a weird conversation. Even by Sesshōmaru's standards. The embers of the hearth still glowed and after dropping her coat next to her sandals she crawled towards her sleeping bag and crept under the cover. Shippō sighed contently and Chiharu slept evenly that night.

 _To be continued…_

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 **A/N: Next update will be around Thursday next week. I hope you all enjoyed the chapter and let me know what you think.^^**

 **Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi**


	18. Chapter 17, Naraku's minions

**A/N: Two days later then I planned, but here is chapter seventeen. I hope everyone had a pleasant Christmas^^  
Thank you all for the lovely comments and welcome to my new followers (I hope you'll keep enjoying the story). And of course, already in advance, A happy new year!**

 **Enjoy the chapter^^**

 **InuYasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi.**

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 **o.O.o**

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 _ **Chapter Seventeen, Naraku's minions**_

 _'You'll never really see how toxic someone is until you breathe fresher air.'_

 **O** minous grey clouds had rolled in, lightning flashing through the sky and rain thundered down onto them. A jet of light, of pure energy, was released, the arrow cut through the air shot upwards. Like a sheet of light and colour it tore through the yōkai's huge shoulder. The animal growled, jaws grinding, crunching, tearing and now quickly approaching.

"Chiharu!"

"Yes," she cried back, jumping up and aside until she felt her feet land on the rough bark of a tree. The ground rumbled and split open, debris flying everywhere. Kagura the Wind Witch sent her flying feather up into the air, her face scrunched up. Chiharu glared at her. The Wind Witch had almost decapitated her with her dancing winds and now she was fleeing. She peered at Naraku's newest creation.

Goshinki, tall as a flat and ugly as roadkill, moved quickly through the village. The spider burn on his back identical to that of Naraku's and his disgusting ease with killing just as identical.

With a grim expression, she notched another arrow up and shot it at the large yōkai. Inuyasha jumped up, Tetsusaiga out and he snarled when the bulky yōkai swept at him. Purple fur covered his arms and red eyes narrowed.

"I know your thoughts!" he snarled and as claws were about to open large wounds all over his chest, Chiharu released another of her arrows.

With a hiss, the yōkai moved for her. Ever since she returned to her friends, her speed had grown. She hadn't thought it would yet not only did she feel quite a bit better, she had also become stronger.

She fought, trusting as much on her instincts as she could, trying not to think about where she jumped to. She knew for a fact she was not even relying on her own reiki, she was relying on Sesshōmaru's youki to lead her. After he had stabilised the mark, drawing in her very essence to him, he'd left her there. It still made her blood boil. Arrogant arsehole practically assaulted her and then left her to be eaten.

Chiharu gasped as Hiraikotsu hurled passed her, towards the yōkai surging toward her. "Chiharu-chan! Keep your mind on the fight."

"Yes," she mumbled notching up another arrow. The boomerangbone was deflected off the stomach of the yōkai, a sadistic smirk playing on his face. Huge claws swiping at the young taijiya. She wasn't fast enough, but Inuyasha pushed her out of the way. Sango yelped when she fell to the forest floor, and Inuyasha howled loudly. Blood spurt out of his chest and he slammed in the ground. Inuyasha growled, blood oozing out from the fresh large gash and out between his fingers.

Chiharu swallowed, the scent of blood thick and she aimed. "I wouldn't do it, Miko," the yōkai whispered, his stench so awful it made the hairs on the back of her neck and arms stand on edge. "You won't surprise me again. I've turned myself in on your thoughts."

"Good thing I don't overthink what I am doing half of the time then." She snapped back, kicking off and sailed through the air. The arrow she had shot was sticking out of his neck, a solid reminder that, although he might be weakened he was by no means beaten. He swept his arm at her and she jumped out of the way, landing on the roof of a hut. Inuyasha pushed himself up to his feet, swaying slightly, Miroku stalked towards his form.

"Sacred Sutra!" Miroku cried throwing an enchanted scrap of paper at the Yōkai, but without the use of his windtunnel, that was about all he could do. However, his enchanted sutra gave them just enough time to pull the injured Inuyasha away. He was still clutching his father's sword in a tight grip, but the gash was deep, cutting cleanly through muscle and vein and he coughed up blood.

Kagome crouched over Inuyasha's form while Sango threw her boomerangbone again forcing the yōkai a few steps back.

"Do you need my help?" Chiharu asked, batting Inuyasha's arm away before pressing a cloth against his bleeding wound. "We need to get out of here." She continued when she truly saw the extent of the wounds. Already weakened from the recent fight with Kana the soul-stealer, Inuyasha was in no condition to fight.

Goshinki gave a low, deep chuckle, revealing razor-sharp teeth. "Ah, you're thinking to let Kagome, Sango and Miroku get away on the firecat, while you carry Inuyasha's weight." He said and took a step towards them. "I don't think so."

The evil youki emanated from his form like a small tornado and evil red eyes peered around. He seemed to be enjoying himself to the fullest and Chiharu slowly stepped away from her older sister.

"Get away."

"Are you insane?"

"Just do as I say!" Chiharu snapped, peering at Miroku. The monk caught her gaze and then nodded, steering Sango towards Kirara. Inuyasha struggled to a seated position and Chiharu exhaled softly before kicking off against the ground.

Leaving her older sister to tend to his wounds, the young girl quickened her pace to match the beast's next attack, but without the solid experience to fight a much larger foe like this, nor the advantage to not overthink a strategy, she was at a disadvantage. He avoided her when she shot an arrow, shining brightly with purifying energy, and when he slammed his arm down she put up a kekkai in the nick of time. His fur smoked when purifying energy scorching away the fur on the left side of his forearm. She couldn't tell if it was a smart move because of a moment later, he used part of a broken roof, throwing it at her and her concentration broke.

Although she was quick on her feet, avoiding the first swipe of his claws, she couldn't exactly move out of the way when she took to the air. Her hair flailed around her and she yelped when he suddenly moved behind her. Her vision shifted when his claws connected with her back, talons cutting through the skin, slicking across her back. She smacked to the ground with a sickening crack, the side of her face connecting with a rock. She supposed she should actually be happy with the youki and the fast regeneration Sesshōmaru had _bestowed_ upon her. It was because of those two factors she could survive wounds like these, but as the flesh closing back over the wounds, filaments knitting back together.

"Chiharu!"

She heard the whiff of something moving very fast towards her and she uselessly rolled out of the way, coughing on her own blood as she went. Rolling onto her side, she watched Inuyasha charge at the large abomination Naraku had recently given birth to. Goshinki the mind reader was after Kagura the wind witch, Kanna the soul-stealer, one of the most troublesome foes they'd stand against.  
Goshinki easily moved out of Inuyasha's path and laughed and she tried to get up. Why didn't they flee? How useful was it, if they all died tonight?

Sango's face suddenly appeared above hers and fingers clasped around her upper arms, dragging her away. Even with the skin knitting back over the large gashes, blood was seeping to the forest floor, spreading and adding to the ever-growing puddle.

"Are you all right?" Sango whispered, her face was pale and her mouth slightly slacked open. When fighting the white-haired Kanna, she'd got hit by her own weapon. Chiharu nodded, swiping the roof of her hand over her mouth.

"I'm okay," she whispered softly, her tongue tasting the rich metallic tang of blood and she coughed again. "I will be fine! Why are you all still here?"

Sango frowned, her dark chocolate brown eyes flashing. "You can't really expect us to leave you here to die, do you?"

"But Inuyasha—" Goshinki's red eyes shone with malice as he glared at her and the young girl tried to sit up, but Sango kept an arm pressed against her torso keeping her down.

"Don't worry little Miko, I'll eat you just after I deal with the half-breed." The Oni grinned.

"Not likely," Inuyasha snarled, breathing out slowly and gazing straight at the Oni. He steadied the Tetsusaiga with two hands and Chiharu presumed he was about to use the wind scar on this new opponent. Goshinki chuckled.

"About to use the cutting wind, hm, Inuyasha?"

"If you know that, then you know you're about to die!" the Hanyō snapped back, staring straight at him while bringing his sword back. Goshinki laughed suddenly moving forwards, straight through the path of the wind and his jaws closed around the blade of the sword. Inuyasha cursed, still trying to drive the sword further down but suddenly a might snap sounded through the silence of the night.

Goshinki laughed, Tetsusaiga crumbling to pieces. The large yōkai swiped at Inuyasha again, blood spurting from his torso and he slammed into the muddy ground. "It seems an Oni's fang is stronger than a dog's fang."

Inuyasha didn't move anymore, blood seeping out on the ground, mingling with the mud. The tang of metallic so strong, it made Chiharu slightly nauseous.

"Is he dead?" Sango whispered softly and with her otherwise engaged, Chiharu sat up with a pained groan. Inuyasha lay still with his face in the dirt. He didn't seem good and she stood up when Miroku was thrown through the clearing, landing heavily against a wooden hut. The Oni turned towards them, his eyes gleaming evilly. A slight sense of panic ate at the edges of her mind when he smiled at her. Kagome squeaked, hiding behind her and suddenly everything that was happening around them seemed as it was happening in slow motion. Goshinki was still moving towards them but somehow slower and she watched Inuyasha push himself up to his knees, but her mind was not catching up.

"Inuyasha's mind is blank, he's gone, you fools he—" The Oni started but suddenly Inuyasha flew forward, slashing at Goshinki. Blood spurted around and Goshinki's right arm slammed down onto the floor. Kagome's fingers dug into Chiharu's arm and she peered with growing horror at Inuyasha's face. His eyes were blood red and he had magenta stripes — reminding her strongly of his older brother — upon his cheekbones.

"He looks like a full-yōkai." Kagome gasped softly and Chiharu nodded slowly.

"His scent is different," Chiharu whispered. The strange moment where time had almost stopped passing by and now a furious Inuyasha stood, a smile stretched across his face.

"Are you not seeing his face?" Kagome asked and Chiharu was about to snap something back when a wave of dizziness ran through her. Although the gashes and deeper wounds were healing steadily she was not used to so much blood-loss. Inuyasha charged at Goshinki again, the latter for some reason could no longer read his mind.

Inuyasha, claws and arms drenched in blood, leapt at the large yōkai again. Goshinki, fangs bared and evil eyes narrowed, howled and lashed out with his claws again, but Inuyasha was too quick and lengthened claws sliced through Goshinki's body. In an instant blood and gore, parts of Goshinki's body, littered the ground and Inuyasha landed almost gracefully on the forest floor.

"That was fun, I enjoyed that Goshinki." Inuyasha laughed and Kagome slowly took a step towards him.

"Inuyasha?"

The Hanyō looked up sharply. Kagome wrung her hands together slowly approaching him. "It's okay Inuyasha, there are no enemies left."

"Don't get near me!" he snarled and as Kagome stepped even closer he slowly backed away. He fidgeted backing even further away. "As I am right now, I don't know what I might do." Chiharu frowned. Was he no longer in control of himself?

"Osuwari!" Kagome screamed. The beads of subjugation glowed brightly and Inuyasha smashed face first down against the floor.

"What the hell, Kagome?"

"Thank god!" Kagome whispered, falling to her knees beside him. Inuyasha still pressed to the muddy ground, could only lift his head to glare at the girl and Chiharu sighed gratefully. While Kagome inspected the large gashes on Inuyasha's chest the Hanyō caught her stare and held it. In a way they both seemed to have some corruption running through their blood they couldn't control and Chiharu felt her cheeks flush. Was that what would have happened if Sesshōmaru had left her with the incomplete mark? She felt a tingle of fear run down her spine. Slowly everyone started to retreat, no one wishing to stay near the destroyed village and Chiharu was silent when they returned to a wooden hut in the woods. Inuyasha carried his broken Tetsusaiga with a pale face and when they reached the hut he slumped down onto the ground.

 **I-I. ⌡. Γ┐**

The aftermath of the battle was melancholy and nasty. The wounded had been tended to, Inuyasha sulking in the highest branch of the highest tree and Miroku sleeping his injuries off. The girls had decided to wash up in the nearby hot springs. The hot water soothing to Chiharu's aching muscles and her hands scraping a cloth over her the caked blood on her back and chest. As she dipped the cloth against one gash that was still healing — a trickle of blood seeping from the wound — she peered at her own reflection. Her hair was a tangled mess, yet her face had regained some colour.

Chiharu massaged her fingers into her scalp, her favourite scented shampoo thickly smeared into her hair. The warm water of the hot spring easing her aching muscles and she slowly turned away from her reflection. Kagome and Sango were both standing behind her. Sango crouched over her yukata, scrubbing at one persistent stain and Kagome was nursing a small gash on her shoulder.

"I really thought we were goners," Kagome whispered.

Sango nodded slowly. Her torso was still badly bruised, but she seemed to be doing a little better.

"Chiharu-chan?"

Chiharu froze and slowly waddled over towards the two girls. "Yes?"

"Are you all right?"

Chiharu cocked her head. Her clothes were ripped and she was somewhat dizzy, but her skin was healed and she was alive. She smiled: "I'm okay, I think."

"I didn't know you would heal this fast," Kagome whispered eyeing her sister in a worried way and the younger Higurashi twin shrugged.

"I'm pretty sure my broken arm healed in less than an hour, so I suppose the fast healing shouldn't come as a surprise to you." She told her sister pushing herself up on a boulder and wrapped a towel around her body before pulling her dripping Miko garb towards her. Kagome always carried a first aid kit and needle and threat into her rucksack. Chiharu had never been happier about that.

"Seeing Inuyasha like that was frightening." Kagome continued, choosing to ignore Chiharu's slightly sarcastic comment and dipped her head back into the hot water, her hair fanning out around her face.

Sango nodded thoughtfully flattening her hands over her yukata and dipped one foot into the warm water. "He looked like a completely different person."

"We should probably head back when we're done," Kagome said and Chiharu nodded, holding her haori up for inspection. Her reparations were hardly legible, but at least they would hold. With a heavy sigh, she pulled her hair up into a messy knot and dressed.

When they returned Tōtōsai's three-eyed ox yōkai stood there. Miroku was standing next to Inuyasha, trying to placate the situation. Myōga the flea-yōkai was sitting on Inuyasha's hand, rubbing all of his four his hands together.

Chiharu hadn't seen him after he'd left with the old sword smith, Tōtōsai, but, although looking anxious, he looked fine. Myōga often fled during a battle. The young Miko supposed it was a way of self-preservation she couldn't really fault him for and slowly followed her sister towards the men.

"Hello Myōga-san," she greeted softly. "You seem well."

"Chiharu-sama," he greeted her happily and Chiharu wondered if that pleased glimmer in his eyes was a warning that he would try to suck her blood. He hadn't tried yet, but the way his large eyes went to her throat made her wonder.

"Yes, me," she mumbled dryly.

"Why are you here, Myōga-jii-chan?" Kagome asked politely.

"He's here for Tetsusaiga." Inuyasha answered softly and Chiharu's eyes widened.

"Can it be fixed?"

"Yes, Chiharu-sama," Myōga replied. "We'll have to travel to Tōtōsai's mountain. We can travel together till the edge of the mountain, but Inuyasha-sama will have to make the journey up the mountain alone. Humans cannot enter it."

They travelled north for a duration of thirty minutes. The forest, dark and sombre without the green leaves on the branches of the trees, were ominously quiet. The wind stirred the myriad of fallen leaves and the sun blearily peaked out from dark clouds. The higher they climbed the more depressing the scenery became. Brown stiff leaves creaked under their feet and death logs lay on the path before them.

Smoke, white and hot, ascended from small craters in the dry ground, and lay upon the forest floor as a layer of fog. The path started to become dappled and a strained sort of silence had befallen them. Sango sat on Kirara her face slightly pale and they reached the top of a slope. Below them, almost all the way down the trees were clustered together, throwing a large shadow at the bottom over the rocky ground. The smell of smoke and hot stone cascaded down the top of the mountain and the grass under their feet stirred softly in the wind. Small patches devoid where steam puffed out of the earth.

The mountain path grew wide where the dirt was soft and turned narrow in the rocky passes. The ox moved up on the challenging path and Myōga jumped from his back on Kagome's shoulder.

"This is where you have to stop." He told them. "Now Inuyasha-sama has to travel alone."

The mountain path ahead was slightly hidden in a dark shadow by the dappled shade of a large boulder. The greenery further up was almost none existent and the dry ground had cracks from the heat. Inuyasha sniffed disdainfully before following the path further up. Tōtōtosai's ox leading the way, yet Myōga didn't follow. As night was almost upon them they divided the tasks. Miroku and Sango collected firewood, while Chiharu helped Kagome make dinner. A good few hours later the little group of shard hunters were seated around a warm fire, enjoying a bowl of vegetable soup.

"So Inuyasha-sama did transform, didn't he?"

"Yeah, he did." Kagome nodded, "Does that have some connection to Tetsusaiga being broken?"

Myoga nodded, still seated on Kagome's shoulder and the others slowly inched closer. "Tetsusaiga is a protective sword left to Inuyasya-sama by his father, yet it was also made to constrain Inuyasha-sama's yōkai blood."

"Constrain his blood?" Sango asked slowly, her eyebrows furrowed and her face scrunched up in thought. "There is such a thing?"

"Oh yes, in order to protect Inuyasha-sama his blood was bound to the sword. Without Tetsusaiga essentially means that Inuyasha-sama's yōkai blood awakens when his life is in grave danger. Once his yōkai blood is awake, only Tetsusaiga can control it, but it won't ever be the same. Not now he had felt the joy of killing."

"So his blood could literally overload his system en drive him into fits of feral rage?" Chiharu summarised, carefully readjusting Shippō on her lap. The small boy snuggled contently against her and peered around at the members of the little group with heavy-lidded eyes.

"Yes," Myoga admitted, he gave her a long look before continuing slowly, "It's because youki is toxic to humans that Inuyasha's hanyō body and mind can't handle the power of his father. Repeated transformations should be avoided."

Chiharu shifted uncomfortably beneath the weight of so many pairs of eyes and fumbled with her empty bowl. She nodded slowly, fisting her hands through the material of her haori. If youki was toxic to humans and could force them to lose their mind then— She shook her head resolutely and shivered. The fire flickered ominously and an almost full moon rose into the sky.

Shippō yawned before nodding off and suddenly tumbled forward. She only just managed to catch him before he tumbled into the fire and she carefully pulled him to her front. The young boy sighed contently but didn't wake up.

"I think we should try and get some sleep," Miroku said softly.

Chiharu nodded, standing up slowly while stretching her legs and cradled the sleeping kit in her arms. "That sounds like a plan, Onee-chan?"

Kagome jerked her head up and slowly, reluctantly, nodded: "I suppose,"

Carefully they started to set up their sleeping gear, Kagome rolling out her sleeping bag and Sango and Miroku laying out their bedding. As the others slowly dozed off, she carefully looked at Myōga.

"I don't understand." She whispered softly and Myōga peered up at her.

"I thought if the mark was complete—"

"It won't kill you." Myōga admitted, "But you can still harm the ones around you if you ever lose the control over it."

"So am I like Inuyasha?"

"In a way."

Chiharu nodded slowly, worrying her lower-lip before stretching down on her sleeping bag. As the embers of the fire died out, she dozed off, but only to be awoken an hour later when Inuyasha returned, tiptoeing into the campsite and propping himself up against a large boulder. She felt his eyes on her, staring across the smouldering embers of the fire at her and she carefully peered back at him through her lashes. He looked troubled, peering at his hands as if he couldn't believe they were his and Chiharu pursed her lips. Even if he hadn't been there when they discussed his yōkai blood, he wasn't entirely unintelligent. It must have been just as frightening to him as it had been to them and she exhaled softly. If only he would talk about his problems, she watched him as he leaned his head back and closed his eyes, dozing off, if only to the eye. She stayed awake for a long time, her mind actively processing the meaning of such _corruption_.

 _To be continued…_

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 **A/N: Although I'm still no planning on following the precise storyline of InuYasha, this part was rather important to the story and I didn't want to skip it (I already skipped meeting Kagura and Kanna, so I decided to actually write about Goshinki). Either way, this was also important for Chiharu because in a way her human essence and Sesshōmaru's youki won't mix that well either...**

 **Ah, problems in paradise. It's how I like it the most. Next chapter will probably sooner than Thursday because I will travel abroad for a short vacation (and I could try uploading something, but let's face it I'll probably forget to anyway).**

 **I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and please let me know what you think of this one^^**

 **Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi**


	19. Chapter 18, The Oni's Sword

**A/N:** **Thank you, my dear readers, for the lovely comments. I always enjoy them immensely. A few answers I wanted to give to all of you. I was asked in one of the comments if I planned on making Chiharu Shippō surrogate mother. The answer is not specifically, but she does like children. Occasionally she will mother over him (but Sango and Kagome do so too).**

 **Secondly, another comment was about Chiharu being a Half-demon or not. Right, now she comes close. In a way, she is yet, in others she isn't. Chiharu doesn't have a human moment anymore because Sesshōmaru doesn't get a reprieve from his demon nature either. Therefore, it's not exactly the same.**

 **And of course on with the story^^ Enjoy chapter eighteen and like always let me know what you all think and welcome to old and new readers:)**

 **InuYasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi.**

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 **o.O.o**

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 **Chapter Eighteen, The Oni's sword**

 **A** soft layer of moss and lichen covered the boulders sprawled at the edge of the rocky mountain. There was hardly a trace of civilisation for miles and the path they'd made was snaked through by a blanket of grass. Kagome's backpack dug into Chiharu's shoulders and she peered at the sky. The sunlight was dimming gradually, hiding further and further down the horizon and the little group of shard hunters moved deeper into the woods. Hidden from sight and away from prying eyes.

Chiharu peered around the vegetation and dry mud stuck to her sandals. A chill was settling over the lands and she snuggled Shippō closer in her arms. The tall grass made place for a small clearing and Miroku smiled waving his staff carefully around as if to determine if it was safe or not.

Apparently, that was exactly what he did and he nodded at the rest of the group. "It's safe,"

Kagome sighed: "Then, let's make a camp here."

The smell of damp leaves met her nose and Chiharu kicked at the grass. "I suppose if we start a fire, this would be as good as any camping place."

"Yes," Kagome whispered before turning to Inuyasha, "are you all right, Inuyasha?"

"Fine," Inuyasha muttered darkly, jumping up into a tall tree. He settled on a thick branch, his silver mane gleaming in the dying sunlight. Kagome sighed wishfully and Sango rested a reassuring hand on her shoulder. The older girl silently comforting the futuristic schoolgirl and peered carefully at Miroku. With the monk always making advances on another woman, Chiharu supposed she would understand to some degree. Miroku had been Sango's rock when she lost her family and considered him somewhat as a love interest. Even if she herself was not yet realising that yet.

When nightfall fell in about a few hours, the new moon would rise and Inuyasha would turn human. Kagome gave Chiharu a long look and then she and Sango decided to look for the hot spring that was only a few metres up ahead. The silent request — 'please talk to Inuyasha' — clearly conveyed with Kagome's eyes and Chiharu sighed, peering up at the sulking Hanyō. She slowly sat down next to him, pulling her knees up under her chin and glanced out over the grass-field. Miroku sat cross-legged on the grass, eyes closed and face solemn, to meditate. He sat far enough away for Chiharu and Inuyasha to talk.

"How are you really doing?" Chiharu asked slowly, peering up at his face.

"Feh," he huffed, "fine, why don't you bother someone else, wench?"

"I don't know Inuyasha…" she told him sweetly, "Why don't you learn tact?"

"I don't need people checking up on me, nothing is wrong!" He snapped.

"Sure," she answered, not moving from the spot. "But are you really surprised we're worried about you? When something goes wrong, no, I'm not saying we aren't glad you saved us, just worried, but when something goes wrong you always refuse to talk about it."

"Feh,"

"Inuyasha, we care for you. All of us, Kagome, Miroku, Sango, Kirara and even Shippō, who considers you to be some sort of older brother figure, cares for you."

"I don't need—"

"Everyone needs someone to care for him or her." She whispered. "At least talk to Kagome-nee-chan. She was really worried about you."

He snorted rudely, muttering profanities under his breath and she slowly got to her feet. "I'm going to take a walk. Perhaps find some herbs for dinner."

When she returned, her hands clutching at a few surviving mushrooms, Miroku was already working on dinner. His eyebrows were tightly furrowed in concentration. Inuyasha and Kagome were sitting a bit further away, the Hanyō's normal silver hair had darkened, while Sango, dressed in her pink travelling kimono sat near the fire. The older girl smiled warmly when Chiharu returned before continuing to polish her boomeranbone.

"How was your walk, Chiharu-chan?"

"Fine," she nodded slowly, "is Inuyasha in a better mood now?"

"Barely, Chiharu-sama." Miroku answered, looking up from what seemed like blackened fish and rice.

"Nice," she muttered and he glowered at her, his hand sneaking down her waist and Chiharu pushed the mushrooms in his left hand before swatting at his right arm. "Keep your hands to yourself!" She chided him gently before taking out the bowls of Kagome's yellow rucksack.

"Is it almost finished?"

He peered down at the pan before shrugging, "sure, it's not getting any better anyway so sure."

She nodded before sharing a look with Sango and trudged towards Kagome and Inuyasha. "Guys, dinner, or at least something that should pass for dinner, is ready."

"Did Miroku really cook?"

"He did," Chiharu affirmed and the Hanyō shuddered — 'I'm glad I don't have my yōkai senses on me now then' — and followed them to the fire.

Chiharu sank down next to Sango and reached for a bowl with rice, blackened fish and mushrooms. The dinner wasn't exactly good, but it could have been worse. The group of shard hunters were silent, chewing slowly on the rice. It was a bit dry and Chiharu fiddled with her chopsticks before spearing a piece of fish.

"Only one more night, Inuyasha." Miroku assertively offered, rightly interpreting the reason for Inuyasha's fool mood.

"The old fart is slow." Inuyasha muttered, dropping his bowl on the grass and grumbled under his breath.

Chiharu licked her dry lips and firmly gripped her bowl. A chilling breeze ran through the few leaves still hanging from the trees. She stretched her legs out in front of her and wriggled her toes. Her sudden tiredness was not entirely unexpected and after a few huge yawns, the others started to get ready for bed. They all took a place before the fire.

It was a cold and bitter night in early February. Under the veil of darkness, the fire burned on the dried bracken wood until they turned into smouldering coals of a fire. She watched the lights from the fire diminishing and she peered at them through half-lidded eyes.

 **I-I. ⌡. Γ┐**

She awoke to the clashing of swords, leaving a clanging ring echoing through the frosty autumn air. She slowly wormed herself out of her sleeping bag and she watched with wide eyes at the madly moving red-leaved trees (most already fallen to the forest floor). She needed a moment to understand what was going on, but then sensed his presence first and detected his familiar scent and youki second. She rolled over on her stomach and peered at the tall man. Her eyebrows furrowed together at the figure clad in his white kimono and his indisputable strength emanated from his demonic aura.

'What is he doing here?'

The brothers were fighting and as they twirled around each other. Chiharu slowly slid her sleeping bag back and sat up. She had never considered that the two siblings actually looked alike. They both had the same pair of golden eyes and long silver hair, yet there were far more differences. The elder brother held an overbearing posture, grown from years of fighting and she breathed out slowly, getting to her feet. He had a sword now, with a red handle and shone in the rising sun.

Inuyasha spun himself clear out of Sesshōmaru's longer reach. He seemed well, the gash on his cheek completely gone and his armour repaired and shining in the pale light on the sun. The sky was blue and wide and cold and the ground crisped under their feet.

"Tetsusaiga seems a little heavier." The older Yōkai muttered and Inuyasha bristled, fingers tightly wrapped around the hilt of his Tetsusaiga.

"Not a little heavier, arsehole!"

"What the hell?" She whispered, Shippō settling on her shoulder, coming out of nowhere. "What's going on? How on earth did I not awaken from this?"

"I don't know, Chiharu-chan, you slept like the dead. Didn't even move when Kaijinbou suddenly appeared." The little fox-yōkai explained. She had no idea who that was, but she supposed it had been the dead mangled body that lay only a few feet away on the grass.

"How did I sleep through all of this?" She mumbled softly and Shippō grinned.

"The others wondered about that too." The kit nodded. "When Kaijinbou arrived he wasn't exactly subtle or silent, yet you merely turned over on your side and mumbled about 'cold feet' and slept on."

"I see," she nodded. Plumes of white breath smokily curling towards the sky as it left her mouth. Inuyasha's cheeks had turned pink and multiple scratches covered his face. The older Yōkai stared impassively at his younger brother, holding his sword out in front of him.

"He has a sword." She mumbled.

"Yes," Shippō nodded. "Kaijinbou made it. Apparently, Sesshōmaru-sama is the Yōkai that commissioned it. We're screwed. Inuyasha can't even hold his sword up."

"His fang is too heavy?" Chiharu asked slowly, not completely understanding how it could be too heavy.

"Yes,"

Inuyasha charged with abandon and Sesshōmaru laughed. He met the uncoordinated swing from his younger brother with his blade. The shock of the impact pushed the Hanyō back and he slammed into the grass with a pained groan. Sesshōmaru bared his teeth, never a good sign, and Inuyasha only barely blocked his brother's next blow.

"Arrogant pup!" he sneered. "If that sword is too heavy for you than perhaps it's better if you don't have it at all."

The sword flew out of Inuyasha's hand and was driven into the ground a few feet away from him. The grass beneath his booted feet flattened and tore, as he twirled around. Sparks left his sword and Inuyasha yelped when they tore through his skin and crimson started to stain his fire-rat robes.

"Inuyasha!"

Far above clouds rolled through the sky and bolts of lightning stabbed through the clouds. The Daiyōkai's youki swirling darkly around them and the bad weather drawing on the wind and the clouds. Inuyasha jumped back and Chiharu winced as Sesshōmaru suddenly appeared before the Hanyō, slamming him back against the forest floor driving him fully back on his defences.

"He's not after the sword," Chiharu whispered, an icy wind whipping at her hair and around her face. Her hands were cold and her cheeks were starting to feel numb, slightly starting to tingle from the hot fury that stabbed through her. It wasn't one of her emotion and she shuddered. The weather was a show of his power, his youki and she grabbed her older sister's wrist as she was about to take a step towards the Hanyō.

"How do you know?" Kagome whispered back, peering at her younger sister's wrist.

"His frenzied quest for that stupid sword is different from what goes through his head right now." She explained. She wasn't very good at understanding his emotions. She wasn't very good at deciphering him at all, but at least she could tell that this was different from normal. "I'm not sure what he's doing here!"

The sun was not long risen and the morning was still chilly. Inuyasha slammed into a withered dead oaken tree which splintered from the impact. With a growl, the young man got up to his feet and flung himself towards the aristocratic Inu Daiyōkai.

The older brother used the flat of his blade to whack the younger boy down. It didn't seem like he was seriously fighting the Hanyō. To make that point even clearer, he feinted than brought his sword up, slamming it into the ground. More red sparks came from it and Inuyasha was blown back meters before smacking down on the ground. He was winded and groaned and she knew the full-blooded Yōkai lost his patience.

"He was blown back by the kenatsu!" Sango whispered.

"What do we do?" Chiharu returned. She wasn't strong enough to fight Sesshōmaru and even with the mark, she could not anticipate his moves. Yet, she was sure he could anticipate her moves easily. "What do we do? It's like he's testing him."

"Testing?" Kagome asked softly.

"Look at how he's fighting," Chiharu said, wincing when Sesshōmaru blew Inuyasha back again and the Hanyō struggled to get up to his feet. Squirming, willing his arms and legs to listen he tried to get up again but Sesshōmaru seemed to have seen enough.

"So the half-yōkai is just a half-yōkai huh?" Sesshōmaru mused, before bringing his sword back and brought it back in a brute-force swinging arc. "Enough, die Inuyasha!"

Sesshōmaru started down the grass and suddenly the air around Inuyasha changed. His aura, his essence, changed and the wind picked up.

"He's going to change!" Chiharu whispered. "I mean it, his scent and aura just changed."

"Everyone!" Tōtōsai, where the hell did he come from, said. "Flee with Inuyasha"

He blew his cheeks up, puffing them up until they were almost twice the size they normally where and the pre-air started to kindle as the fire took, lighting up the air around them. The fed flames spit and crackled and Chiharu helped Kagome drag an almost comatose Inuyasha — sat three feet into the ground — away. As they quickly leave the open space, she glanced backwards. A thick, dark smoke covered the grass and kept Sesshōmaru's tall, prone form from view. The fire had created a roasting blaze, but she didn't doubt he had survived. It probably hadn't even left a dent in his armour.

They raced along the forest path, a strong wind in their backs until they reached the edge of the copse of trees. They'd travelled to the edge of the forest, near a fast running river. The dry forest-floor had grown wet and muddy, dark and sticky to Chiharu's sandals. Red cattle was clustered together in the gloom under the beeches and she slumped down onto a boulder. She shivered with sleepiness and watched Kagome and Tōtōsai quietly converse. Inuyasha had brushed any concerns off and was now sitting higher up on a cliff.

"Chiharu-sama?"

"Hello, Miroku," she answered, pulling her feet free from the sticky mud, which was shallow and white with chalk. "What can I do for you?"

"Nothing really," he answered, "I wondered if you wanted to talk about anything?"

"Everyone wants to talk about something. I'm fine. The mark doesn't hurt, it doesn't play with my mind and no, I didn't feel him coming. Apparently, I still sleep like a child, and I don't wake up, no matter what happens. I'm sorry."

A crow, its feathers glistening in the sun, flew by. It caught a breeze none of them could feel and remained motionless on the movement of the air. She felt slightly jealous, she couldn't fly away. Things were probably so much easier if she could just float away, surveying the landscape.

"That's not what I meant," Miroku answered. "It just— I thought it must be hard for you."

She nodded slowly. Shippō jumped onto her lap and she carefully scratched him behind the ears. "I'm really fine. Thank you."

Tōtōsai worked on Sango's broken boomerangbone and Inuyasha waved Kagome's concerns away. The older girl seemed slightly put out, but reluctantly let it go.

"Here, it's as good as new," Tōtōsai said, trailing old wilted fingers over the surface of the boomerangbone and Sango smiled.

"Thank you."

Chiharu peered at the large weapon. Her own weapon she used for combat. Chiharu couldn't fight with her bare hands, or at least not well enough. She did still have some purification powers and she had trained them relatively well, but she could do with a weapon of her own. She slowly made her way over to the slayer and the swordsmith. Big bulbous eyes peered up at her and she twisted the hem of her sleeves between her fingers.

"Tōtōsai-san?" she started slowly. "Do you still take commissions?"

"I wondered when you would ask me that." He told her thoughtfully. "Did Sesshōmaru set you up to this?"

"What gives you that idea?" Chiharu spluttered. "No of course not, besides why would he? He has his stupid sword so why would I even bother? No, I need a weapon for hand-to-hand combat. I just don't really know where to get one."

"I thought her to break things." Inuyasha supplied helpfully and she pursed her lips.

"Apparently my dull human nails are not as dull as they used to be."

Her regarded her appraisingly before nodding slowly. "I'll see what I can do. I'll need three days."

Chiharu smiled. "Thank you."

As the old swordsmith took to the air, sitting on top of his three-eyed ox yōkai, and she watched him go. Giddy with elation she smiled at Inuyasha. The Hanyō gave him a long tired look and her smile grew.

"You expect me to show how to hold such a weapon, don't you?"

"Oh," she realised he might have gotten tired of sparring with her and she peered at Sango with a frown. "I can ask Sango-chan, if you don't want to."

His face turned red and he spluttered. "That's not what I'm saying, you idiot."

"So you will show Chiharu-chan?" Shippō asked and he grumbled before stalking through the foliage.

"Where are you going?" Kagome screamed and Inuyasha 'Feh'ed'.

"Taking a walk. I will be back." She said, unable to help feeling giddy with excitement. As the sun rose higher in the sky, little mammals and insects started to awake. She inhaled deeply trying to identify any hostile assailants and when she found none quickened her pace a bit. Except, that jogging strengthened her endurance it had also become a part of her morning ritual before they trekked down the lands in search of the Shikon no Tama shards.

"Marvellous way to keep Inuyasha distracted, Chiharu-sama." Miroku decided, coming up beside her.

"That was not necessarily my intention, but I'm glad it helped." She answered lightly, jumping over a protruding tree root. "You are coming along?"

"Am I not allowed to accompany a beautiful maiden?" He asked and she didn't miss the lecherous glint in his eyes.

"As long as you keep your hands to yourself? Whatever you like," she dryly commented before starting to jog. Miroku's eyes widened comically and he quickened his step to keep up with her. When she felt warm and the initial burning in her calves subsided, she quickened her pace, jogging through the forest and the Houshi finally seemed to realise what she was doing.

"Jogging?"

"That was not what you had in mind I take it?" She asked slowing her pace again when she noticed the young man was already becoming winded. "Are you really all right? You were hurt in the fight with Goshinki just as Inuyasha was."

"Hardly as Inuyasha was…"

"Fine, less hurt, but you are more human."

He snorted. "I will admit, if only for your benefit, that I do envy your healing rate, Chiharu-sama."

She slowed her pace even more until they were walking, he nodded gratefully and she raked her fingers through her hair. A watery sun shone from behind the clouds and although chilly, the day seemed to be beautiful.

"Why did you come along?" Chiharu asked. "I mean, I appreciate your company, but what made you really decide to come along?"

"I heard you and Myōga talk yesterday." He told her seriously and her eyes widened.

"I see,"

"The youki against your human blood could trigger a similar reaction…" Myōga told her and chewed on her lower lip.

"In theory," She admitted, "we don't know for sure though, do we? Till now I haven't experienced even anything remotely similar."

Mirōku slumped back on a fallen log and exhaled softly. "You think that as long as your human soul is in control, you shouldn't be worried. Yet, Inuyasha had to be mortally wounded before his yōkai blood took over, so we don't really know, do we?"

Chiharu exhaled again and shrugged. "I guess not."

As the wind fluttered through the leaves she closed her eyes. She hoped she would never find out either. _To be continued…_

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 **A/N: Next update Wednesday or Thursday^^**

 **Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi**


	20. Chapter 19, Checkmate

**A/N:** **Thank you, my dear readers, for the lovely comments. I'm very glad with them. Enjoy chapter nineteen!**

 **InuYasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi.**

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 **o.O.o**

* * *

 **Chapter Nineteen, Checkmate**

 _Who hesitates misses the bigger chances in life._

 **K** agome Higurashi's face had turned a dark red as she screamed, her voice shrill and loud echoing through the forest. Birds flapped out of the trees, startled by the sudden disruption of their piece and Inuyasha slammed face-first into the forest floor. Chiharu watched almost detached as her older sister stomped towards the well.

"I'm going home!" she shrieked, her face aflame.

"Onee-san," Chiharu slowly started, following after the enraged school girl. It had started to rain and the youngest Higurashi girl peered up at the sky with a frown. "Don't you think you're overdoing it, just a bit?"

"I am not overdoing it!" She yelled. "I am going home and that's final!"

After following Naraku's scent the last few days they'd stumbled upon his newest creation, Jūrōmaru, who had been created for the sole purpose of killing Inuyasha. The abomination seemed simple enough, until Naraku took away his retaining mask and the fifth incarnation Kagerōmaru appeared. Inuyasha and Kōga, who had been tracking Naraku for some unclear reason as well, fought the two _brothers_. In the end both were killed by Inuyasha with a slash of his sword and of course Inuyasha and Kagome got into an argument which ended in Inuyasha being sat and now sulking in his newly formed crater outside of Kaede's village.

A sharp wind raked through Chiharu's clothes, penetrating the fabric and slashed across her skin and she shivered. The rain was stinging through her Miko garb and she puffed her cheeks up. Tugging a creeper from the hem of her hakama she sighed. "Can't you at least act like an adult and talk to me?"

"What's there to talk about?" She cried. "You're taking his side."

"Onee-chan," Chiharu slowly started, sighing in frustration. They had reached the well and Chiharu leaned on the timber. "I'm not taking anybody's side, I'm only saying that—"

"I don't care what you're saying." Kagome replied sullenly. A stinging rain lashed down Chiharu's face and plastered her clothes to her body and her hair to her scalp. Dark clouds overhead chased against each other and she wrapped her arms tightly around her middle.

"How long will you be gone?" she decided on, ignoring the vein that began to throb in her temple. Her sister dropped down on the ledge of the well and pursed her lips, eyebrows furrowed.

"You're not coming?"

"No," she admitted, although she would after Tōtōsai had visited. She didn't doubt her older sister and Inuyasha would still not be on speaking terms and therefore the following morning, so she had all the time in the world to visit her family. If she was smart about it she would get her mother alone. Some quality time with her mother had never sounded more appealing. "So how long will you be gone?"

"A few days, unless Inuyasha comes and apologises." Kagome told her and Chiharu sighed.

"At least stock up on medical supplies, clothes, especially underwear and toiletries. We are out of toothpaste." Chiharu told her and Kagome rolled her eyes.

"Right, I will." The older girl answered and jumped forward. She was enveloped in a purple light and disappeared probably reemerging into modern time a second later. Chiharu stood there for a moment, peering down the well before shaking her head.

When she returned to the village, Sango gave her an apologetic smile. Taking in a deep breath, all of her senses were on alert and she felt her miko powers surge within her. Inuyasha looked up from the fire when she stepped in the hut and Shippō bounded towards her. She carefully raked her fingers through his sandy curls and Inuyasha glared at her.

"Well?"

"Like I predicted," Chiharu answered, "she's still furious. Can't you just swallow your pride and talk to her?"

"Feh, like hell I will!" Inuyasha answered, crossing his arms over his chest. "I don't see why I have to either. Stupid bitch."

Chewing onto her lower lip, she poured water into a pot and placed in on the cooking rack above the fire. Carefully she opened the package of instant ramen Kagome had left behind and added the stringy pasta to the water when it started to cook. She watched Inuyasha peer at the ramen with hungry eyes.

"What was the argument about anyway?" She asked when everyone had been served a bowl of ramen and the silence started to wear on them. Shippō was happily playing with his chopsticks and Miroku and Sango pretended they hadn't heard the question.

"Feh," Inuyasha muttered again and shrugged his shoulders angrily, but the effect was slightly lost by the ramen strings escaping from the corner of his mouth, "your sister doesn't control me!"

"That's not even an answer. Ugh, you're such a child! You do understand that one of you will have to swallow that bloody pride." She said, feeling the muscle in her temple tense even more, and Inuyasha's ears flattened to his skull. "And don't think for a second that I'm going to play as your shard detector. You can make up with my sister or perhaps blackmail someone else."

"Feh," he muttered turning his back to the young Miko.

Chiharu rolled her eyes before turning to Shippō. In many ways the little boy resembled her little brother. She sighed. She missed the young boy. Sōta was born when Chiharu and Kagome were seven-years-old. He was a tiny child, while Chiharu's mother had been so huge. Although the birth of a child mostly gave joy to those around it, there was barely any joy when the youngest Higurashi child came to the world. He was born without a father and instead of celebrating Sōta's birth, they were grieving for the loss of Haruki Higurashi.

Mama had to work two jobs to pay for his funeral and memorial. Jiji-chan had taken them in so she could redecorate their old home. They didn't know she heard them when they discussed the troubles they were up against. Didn't realise she woke up every evening to horrifying nightmares and tiptoed out of her and Kagome's room to splash some cool water in her face. When she crossed the landing she could clearly hear jii-chan and her mother talk about the financial problems they were in and Chiharu's medical bills piling up. A hairline fracture in her right shoulder blade, a mild head injury and an injury to her spinal cord that left her right arm without any feeling.

The doctors were sure the latter would pass, even though many of the wounds would not, always decorating her skin in scars. As she grew older she learned that the only scars left were hardly noticeable thin lines. After a few years it was almost as if it had never happened. The scars below her skin, edged in her memories were much harder to erase. Of course her mother and her grandfather knew about her psychological state of mind, it was why they kept her at home so much, but they had no idea how much she knew about their worries. It was why, despite her injuries, she helped her mother take care of her little brother. It was why she paddled out of her room and to Sōta's room to lift him into her arms whenever he cried. The boy would always be waving his arms around in the air in a blatant demand to be picked up.

She took care of her baby brother when her mother wasn't home or when her mother was tired and stressed out — which happened often — and therefore Sōta started to rely on her. It was why there was such a strong bond between the two of them. Chiharu was in many ways like a second mother to him — which was not always something he appreciated.

It was probably why she and Shippō got on so well. The little fox kit certainly needed a mother's touch and never shied away when she or Kagome did mother over him. He did shy away when she tried to brush his teeth though. She smiled to herself as she went through the motions of making another portion for dinner — it was her turn after all— and finding a spot for her sleeping bag.

Shippō stayed at her side, as barnacle on a boat, even when Chiharu produced his toothbrush twenty minutes later. The amount of sugar he ate wasn't good for his dentition and she, just as she had done with Sōta, made sure he would at least brush his teeth once a day if he kept ingesting the many sugary items Kagome brought for him.

"Chiharu-chan!" Shippō whined, little paws flailing at her hands as she gently tugged his lower lip away and brushed his teeth. "But it tastes so bad."

"You're the one who wants to eat candy." Chiharu admonished him lightly and carefully coaxed his mouth open again. "Just because you're yōkai, doesn't mean you won't get cavities."

He pouted when she washed his toothbrush in a pan of water and peered up at Sango for back up. The slayer smiled sweetly at him, but didn't comment. Shippō pouted again and sat down next to Kirara. It was already dark outside when Inuyasha got up from his spot on the wooden floorboard and left the two girls alone. Miroku had disappeared hours ago and hadn't even returned when dinner was served. No doubt had he chased down one of the village girls and Chiharu carefully peered at Sango's relaxed face. As of late, the older girl looked more often at Miroku and more than once Chiharu caught the warm smile she hid whenever Miroku said something nice and pleasant.

"Come on, let's get you to bed." Chiharu said, when she noticed Shippo's eyelids already drooping.

"But Kagome always lets me stay up until she goes to sleep." Shippō answered and pouted again.

"Not my problem, I'm not Kagome." Chiharu told him and she picked him up. "It's healthier for you to get a good night sleep anyway. Kami only knows how little we get of those."

"Okay," he reluctantly agreed and she smiled at him.

"When Kagome returns, I'll wake you all right?" She softly compromised and the child smiled happily.

The small, dim room was lit by several candles and the fire crackled merely in the hearth, radiating light and warmth around them. Kaede was visiting a couple who'd just became parents and Chiharu carefully unrolled Kagome's sleeping bag with one hand, and opened it with the other. Shippō sighed and curled himself into the soft material without a word and she smiled.

"You're coming soon, right?" He asked her tentatively and she was once again reminded that Shippō was only a boy. A boy who'd seen horrible things and needed parents, not vengeful Shard hunters. She ran her fingers through his sandy hair and smiled.

"Of course, I will." She told him firmly. "I won't be long."

He seemed reassured and closed his eyes. She waited until his breathing turned even and scooped up their used dishes from that night. The stream wasn't far away, yet, she still threw her quiver with arrows and her bow over her shoulder. When she stepped out of the hut, the rain had stropped and spring was already tangible in the air. She breathed in sharply.

She crept her way through the trees, wriggling her toes absentmindedly in her sandals. The clearing was blanketed with short grass and a large smooth boulder jutted out of the riverbank, off-center. She crouched down at the water's edge, leaning back against the boulder, peering down at her reflection. The water was cool and flowed south, disappearing down a slope through the forest. Chewing on her cheek, she mindlessly washed their used bowls and chopsticks, nimble fingers working their way around soapy dishes as she scrubbed at a persistent spot on one of the bowls.

"Look what I found!"

Inuyasha's rough tenor shattered her thoughts and she exhaled softly, peering up through her lashes. He was holding a stone sake bottle and was smiling wickedly. Miroku and Sango had followed him towards the river and were curiously watching their exchange.

"No thank you," Chiharu dryly muttered back, but Inuyasha slammed down next to her and filled a stone cup before pushing it in her hands. She grimaced

"Don't be a stick in the mud." He scolded her lightly and considering the strange red blush, she suspected he already had a few drinks. Miroku eagerly accepted a cup — 'Buddha is with me, after all I have a strong alcohol tolerance' — and Sango frowned.

Chiharu exhaled softly before closing her eyes, inhaling the sweet scent of the alcoholic beverage. When she suddenly sensed the presence of a familiar aura, she gasped. Her eyes flashed open and flitted around over the tall copse of the trees. Her heart was racing, but when she couldn't pinpoint _him,_ she frowned. Carefully, she pushed her aura outwards, but this time she felt no Sesshōmaru. She realised she would not see or sense anything other than nature and trees around her if he didn't want her to sense him anyway and she grimaced..

"Are you okay?" Sango asked.

Chiharu smiled tightly and tilted her head slightly. "Yeah, I just thought I sensed something."

"A shard?" Inuyasha demanded, his sake already practically forgotten.

 _'No,'_

"Yeah, but I was wrong. It's nothing." She answered. She wasn't stupid enough to say she thought she sensed his half brother. Inuyasha seemed to buy her answer and Chiharu sighed softly. He proceeded to work on starting a small fire using dried leaves and small twigs. She interestedly watched him slamming two sharp-edged stones together and pursed her lips when a small fire started to grow. She had not been able to do that when she was traveling on herself.

"We could go back to Kaede's you know?" she asked him rhetorically, but Inuyasha snorted.

"And have her lecture me for nicking a few sake bottles? I don't think so." He answered, taking a large sip from his drink and set the bottle on the forest-floor. "Hell, I want to drink myself into a stupor."

"Is this really a good idea?" Sango asked slowly, but Chiharu could see that her curiosity was spiked. She coughed lightly when she sipped from her drink. "Kami, this is strong!"

"No, no, it's not a good idea." Chiharu answered, sniffing at her cup again. She peered at the swirling liquid with a frown. "Oh, who cares. Why not?"

"Loosening up for one day, huh?" Inuyasha asked her lightly smirking when she coughed harshly and poured himself another cup.

"YOLO." she dryly replied. Her companions eyed her in confusion but didn't comment. After the initial burning in her throat subsided Chiharu realised sake wasn't so bad. She certainly felt more light headed because of it. Leaning comfortably back against the boulder she glanced at her friends. The Hanyō wasn't really bothered by the alcoholic content, but Sango and Miroku both were.

Sango giggled. She was definitely more carefree and after her fourth glass, she attempted to spin around the clearing, nearly dropping into the pond. She laughed childishly, her head tilted back and her hair flying loose around her.

Miroku grinned mumbling lecherous mantra's to himself and after his fifth glass was out cold. Inuyasha barked out a laugh when Sango tripped over her own feet and fell into an undignified heap. Chiharu stared at him, she felt slightly woozy, and he took a swig right from the bottle.

"They're drunk. Yet, we're not. Not really!"

He grinned. "Pesky supernatural metabolism."

"I want to play a game!" Sango exclaimed suddenly, rolling over on her stomach.

"It better not be truth or drink." Chiharu answered, accepting the bottle from Inuyasha and taking a swig straight from it.

"Truth or drink?" Inuyasha echoed and Chiharu slightly regretted opening her mouth.

"It's a game. You ask questions. You either tell the truth or drink. It's easy really."

"Sounds like a plan!" Sango happily decided.

"No, it doesn't."

"Stick in the mud." Inuyasha replied and Chiharu shot a sullen glare at the Hanyō.

"Fine," she snapped, sitting up more comfortably. "Whatever!"

"So I can ask whatever I like and if someone doesn't want to answer, he has to drink?" Sango asked, still rather fast to the uptake, even when drunk.

"Basically," Chiharu nodded.

"Lovely! I like it!" Miroku muttered, he had flopped backwards and stared up at the sky through half-lidded eyes. Chiharu eyed him with wide eyes and she frowned. She'd through he'd been out cold, but he nursed his cup with two hands, and sighed contently. "Nectar of the Gods,"

"Like you'll stay awake long enough." Chiharu muttered, glaring at Inuyasha as he snatched the sake bottle from her hand and poured the liquid into his cup. Shaking her head and crossed her legs she sighed: "All right, I'll start! Sango-chan, who was your first kiss?"

It was an immature question, but she was fifteen. She was allowed to behave like one so now and then and Chiharu grinned when Sango's face scrunched up thought.

"Mitsuri." She told them and Inuyasha chocked on his sake and his cup clattered to the ground.

"You actually kissed someone?" Inuyasha asked slowly.

"Yes," the taijiya nodded, "and otou-san almost killed him for it."

"Overprotective dad, I see." Chiharu nodded. "How about you Miroku?"

There was no response and Chiharu slowly got up to her feet, peering at the Houshi's face. He was completely out and she pursed her lips. "High alcohol tolerance, my arse! Guys, Miroku is out!"

Grabbing both of his arms, she started to drag him away from the riverbank — God forbid he would fall in and drown — before settling him comfortably against the rough bark of a tree. Sango had followed her example and was now leaning back against a tree as well. She grinned happily and clapped her hands together. "So who's your first kiss, Chiharu-chan?"

Although she should have seen that question coming, Chiharu felt her face flush. "I never really kissed someone."

"Really?" Inuyasha demanded and she glared at him.

"Expectations of this time are a bit different from expectations in my time, Inuyasha!"

He raised his eyebrows. First kisses and even sex was a pretty commonplace topic to girls her age, but Chiharu felt hardly comfortable talking about it. For a long time she had thought the whole act disgusting. After Sakura telling her that kissing was basically the same as drinking each other's spit, the act had quickly lost her interest.

"Of course you have not." Sango nodded, a sappy, drunken smile tugging at the corners of her mouth and Chiharu glared at her. She pursed her lips. "Inuyasha,"

"Hey, it's my turn now!" Inuyasha snapped and Chiharu rolled her eyes.

"I don't think it is. It's your turn after you've been asked a question. It is my turn."

"Feh," the Hanyō muttered, "what a bullshit game is this!"

"Right, Inuyasha," she asked and Inuyasha snorted, crossing his arms and grumbled childishly. "Honestly what am I going to ask you?"

"Ask him if he'd ever fantasised about doing both Kikyo and Kagome-sama!" Miroku croaked from his spot and everyone stared at him openmouthed. Inuyasha turned a dark shade of red and he grabbed the sake bottle and chugged it back.

"So much for that answer." Sango snorted before slumping forward.

"Really, Inuyasha! Them both?" Chiharu said, smelling the tang of the raw spirits that splashed down his throat.

"Go to hell!"

"We need your late girlfriend for that, darling!" She answered and he gave her a murderous look. Chiharu grinned, holding her cup up for a refill. The liquid had long since stopped burning her throat and she sipped it. Without Sango and Miroku keeping the game going it soon lost its appeal. Inuyasha and Chiharu were both tipsy now and well on their way on getting drunk.

"The sake is gone." He suddenly admitted and she shrugged. Her head was swimming and she carefully got to her feet, stumbling towards a tree. Slightly Woozy from the alcohol she stretched her legs and felt a sudden surge of power. Apparently alcohol and her ki didn't go well together. Or at least, the alcohol awakened it and she shuddered. Demonic nature and humanity in one might not make the best combination with alcohol, but she felt good and Chiharu moved towards the tree line into the forest.

"I'm going to take a walk through the forest." She declared, turning her head towards Inuyasha.

"Talking about bad ideas…" He muttered and staggered to his feet, following after her. His face was almost as red as his clothes. They stumbled through the forest, tripping over tree roots and slamming into each other. She was laughing, giggling and when she almost fell straight into the Bone-Eater's Well she had to admit that she was drunk now.

"Was that the truth?"

"I beg you pardon?" She asked pleasantly, slumping down against the timber of the well.

"Hard to think you've never done such a simple thing as kissing someone." He decided. "Feh, even I can see what you look like."

"That's so nice of you Inuyasha, you really know how to compliment a girl. I would have chugged my cup back if I had been lying or if I had been unwilling to answer." She answered, leaning her head back against the timber. "Idiot!" she continued lightly and the Hanyō glared again.

He slumped down next to her, his eyes somewhat bleary and she could smell the alcohol on his breath. He had more of it than she had. He curled up on the grass, hugging the Tetsusaiga against his side. "Well, it's not very special."

"It's not?" she echoed.

"Nope." He answered, popping the 'p' lazily.

"Hm, that's a pity." She mumbled and closed her eyes.

He shifted besides her, and when she felt his breath on her cheek she opened her eyes again. His golden eyes, identical to his brother's, stared into hers. He leaned heavily on the timber of the well before slipping a hand round the nape of her neck and kissed her on the mouth. It was sloppy, just a fast brush of skin on skin, but it left her reeling back in shock. Inuyasha slumped back against the well and stared up at the sky through heavy-lidded eyes.

"You see, not a big deal." He mumbled.

She felt her cheeks warm slightly, but her thoughts were muddled and she was tired. Her eyes fluttered closed and her body slumped sidewards. The spring night air was soft and the wind was almost warm. They didn't awake until the sun had risen.

 _To be continued…_

 **A/N: Well, she does look like Kikyo and Kagome, but don't worry, I wasn't planning on having Inuyasha pursue another Kikyo look alike. This was definitely only spurred on by alcohol. Anyway let me know what you think! I'd love to hear about your thoughts and feelings.**

 **Shippō and Chiharu don't** **necessarily have a mother-child relationship, but Chiharu really likes children and will want a family in the future. From this chapter on there will be more interaction between Sesshōmaru and Chiharu.**

 **Terms and names:  
** **\- Haruki: Har: clear weather/light sun, male, combined with ki: living or brightness.  
** **\- YOLO: translated to you only live once/one lives but once in the world (Johann Wolfgang von Goethe). In the 20th century, the phrase, 'you only live once', was commonly contributed to actor Mae West. I took the liberty of using the 21st century phrase, just because I'm somewhat lazy. Either way, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and stay tuned for the next.**


	21. Chapter 20, repeated exposure

**A/N: And here is chapter twenty. To all of you new and old to this story, I'm glad you're reading it. I really massively enjoyed your comments from last chapter (from every chapter actually^^) and I hope you'll keep enjoying it!**

 **Enjoy**

* * *

 **o.O.o**

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 **Chapter Twenty, Repeated exposure**

 **T** he endless sky painted in the vestiges of sunlight. Chiharu was warm, although not completely comfortable with her head bent at a slightly odd angle. Yet, she had a bit of a headache and slowly snuggled against the warmth next to her. It took her a moment to realise the one she normally cuddled with — Shippō — was a lot smaller and as her eyelashes fluttered again the figure next to her tensed.

"Wake up!"

Inuyasha's voice filtered in through her muddled brain and slowly she opened her eyes wincing against the daylight. She was leaning heavily against Inuyasha's side, her cheek still resting against his chest and she felt her cheeks reddening.

"Oh, my—" She started, jumping to her feet. "What the hell happened?"

There was a slight ache behind her temple and she had to blink against the morning light again. "Oh my God, I got drunk!" she looked at Inuyasha again. The Hanyō's face had reddened and was now matching hers. The skin of her bottom lip was caught on her teeth when she remembered their very awkward drunken sharing. "And you— Oh my God!"

He turned even redder and she tried to find the words in her mind.

"We won't speak a word about this." She whispered urgently and Inuyasha nodded.

"Not a word."

They stood there momentarily, the only sound audible was the water flowing and she inhaled softly, trying to calm her jagged nerves. Sun rays fell warmly on her back, yet she shivered. Normally she would enjoy the warm morning sun, but now she was rather agitated. "Kagome would sit me, wouldn't she?"

Chiharu snorted. "I'm her baby-sister. I don't doubt for a second that she would sit you."

"Sit you— Oh Kami my head!" Miroku mumbled, suddenly emerging from the trees. He was holding his head in both of his hands and a large red handprint was visible on his left cheek.

Chiharu felt her cheeks redden and Inuyasha jumped away from her until there was at least six foot between them. Miroku didn't seem to notice it. He was still quite disorientated by the massive hangover. While rubbing his temples the world slowly seemed to come back to him and with the grace, her grandfather would have used he combed his tousled dark hair back and smiled.

"Tōtōsai is here." He told them and Chiharu nodded, face still flushed, but the excitement of getting a sword overpowered her anxiety. "You two deal with him— I'm going to sleep this off."

"Keep yourself hydrated!"

"Will do that, Chiharu-sama." the monk muttered before retreating his steps towards the village. She watched him go and ran her fingers through her hair, which was a tangled mess. They remained silent until Miroku's footsteps were no longer audible.

"You're really not going to mention this to Kagome?" Inuyasha asked slowly and Chiharu carefully peered at his face.

"It won't be just you, she'll be angry with, if she hears, Inuyasha." Chiharu answered and they slowly returned to the village. Crossing her arms over her chest, peering at a rotting log to the side.

It was still early and the villagers were still in the process of their morning rituals. Tōtōsai was sitting on his three-eyed ox, in the middle of the marketplace. He seemed odd against the neatly dressed humans and Chiharu quickened her pace when she noticed the katana he was holding.

Large eyes with small pupils peered down at her and he slowly slipped off from the ox. He was holding a katana with a red handle and a darkish scabbard. She slowly inched closer eyeing the weapon curiously and the old man held it out for her. He hadn't uttered a word and although she was somewhat suspicious, she still held her hand out.

"It looks great, Tōtōsai-san." She breathed out as she slowly accepted the sword, carefully weighing it in her hands and letting her fingers trail over the unfamiliar bindings of the hilt. It wasn't heavy as she had expected and the weight was so it rotation point was a few inches to the hilt. It felt pleasant in her hands and she had a strange feeling engulfed her.

"What did you use for it?" Sango asked curiously, stepping up next to her. She was looking a bit sluggish, but other than that seemed fine.

"A fang," Tōtōsai replied evasively and Chiharu frowned, peering at the katana again. There was something awfully familiar to the aura around the sword and she felt the beginnings of worry start at her midsection.

"A fang?" She echoed slowly, tentatively peering at the sword. Her fingers trembled as she pushed her aura outwards, and stiffened when she recognised the youki around it. Her eyes widened and she could feel the blood run from her face.

"It isn't his, is it?" she squeaked, now holding the sword at arm's length as if it would somehow call for his master and summon him in an instant.

"He left it with me when he _commissioned_ me," Tōtōsai answered slowly.

"You want me dead?" She asked and almost dropped the sword from her hands. She knew Tōtōsai was a bit strange, but she hadn't realised he was completely insane. "Have you any idea what he would do if he knows of this? Using _his_ fang? Are you insane?"

"I don't have anything else that is suitable for you." The man answered, stroking his goatee. "To support your ki and the youki inside of you, I needed something more sturdy."

"Sturdy?" she asked scandalised. "Well, good luck explaining that to him, because let's face it, he will find out."

"Yep," Tōtōsai nodded, "but I'm not waiting around for that to happen."

The old man, still rather fast on his feet, jumped back on his ox and took to the air. Chiharu blinked owlishly

"He left me to die." She yelped and Inuyasha stared at the sword smith's retreating back.

"I can hunt him down if you want." He asked her slowly, but he made no move to track him whatsoever. As Tōtōsai became no more than a small little dot on the horizon, Inuyasha's eyes flitted towards the katana. Fingers of his left hand gripped at the scabbard of his sword and Chiharu found it a trifle unnerving.

"I could—"

"No."

"You don't even know what I want to do, wench!"

"You want to test the sword because of your stupid sibling rivalry with your brother." She huffed, pinning the dog-eared male with a hard glare. "No matter how slim the chances of you breaking it might be, I won't get another and quite frankly, I need something to defend myself with. Especially when said the brother comes to suffocate me…"

"The slim chances? Why you!" Inuyasha snapped, curling his upper lip over one sharp fang, sneering. "I would be easily capable to break that sword."

Chiharu rolled her eyes, peering at the sword again. That lousy excuse of a swordsmith had just given her a sword and she knew without really knowing it would only work for her. She had realised long since that he held grudges like that and part of her relished in the knowledge she got a sword while he hadn't gotten one when requested. The previous problem and awkwardness between her and Inuyasha were completely forgotten.

"Ha, serves your right." She mumbled. "Perhaps that would teach you to talk to people, and not threaten."

With a heavy sigh, she stepped into Kaede's hut. Shippō lay on his stomach, still asleep and she gave him an envious look. It had been years since she could sleep that much and that deep. She sat down next to him, carefully trailing her fingers through his sandy hair and smiled at Kaede when the elderly Miko stepped inside, starting her daily preparations for breakfast. Chiharu smiled and within the hour they all had a warm bowl of stew. Shippō, completely awake by the time he smelled the food, chatted happily and Chiharu peered at sword again. He would not be happy if he knew.

 **I-I. ⌡. Γ┐**

Sesshōmaru stared at Inuyasha's little group with a cold glare. One of the Mikos had gone home, through the strange Bone-Eaters Well, and now his brother and the humans were surrounding the fire drinking from a large stone sake bottle. The Taijiya was pressed up against a tree, humming softly to herself, and the Monk was out cold, his face flushed red. The Monk was a lecherous man and Sesshōmaru felt his eyes narrow when the Miko Chiharu started to drag him towards the cover of the trees. He could feel the alcohol in her system, pulsing through her like a liquid fire. Humans had no alcohol tolerance. His human was no exception it seemed, although the girl did hold her liquid better than the usual human did.

His brother hadn't transformed the last few days, nor had he fought any great battles so Sesshōmaru was none the wiser. They had started a drinking game. Answer a question or drink and Sesshōmaru snorted. How foolishly immature his brother and companions were.

His eyes drew back to the girl again. The neck of her haori had opened slightly, her pale skin glowing in the moonlight. His sharp eyes could detailedly trace the curve of her collarbone to the delicate angle of her jaw. Her eyes glittered in the slight darkness and she laughed when the Taijiya said something that amused her.

They had started with each a cup of sake and it went downhill from there. The Monk only sporadically reacted to a question and the Taijiya was already slurring over her words. He watched his half-brother drink from the bottle and frowned. He'd never gotten along with the brazen hanyō. He might have been the arrogant full-yōkai sibling, but Inuyasha was the selfish one. His brother had always been an irritant, but an irritant could be ignored. He had ignored the boy the better part of his life after Inuyasha could fend for himself. Though, that was before he came in possession of chich-ue's sword he had been less easy to ignore.

Sesshōmaru peered at his half-brother's group again. The girl and his brother were the only one not yet passed out and frowned. He could feel the alcohol curl around her blood through their bond as Inuyasha offered her the bottle. Usually, the young Miko would have curled up with the kitsune by now, into her shimmery tube.

Not now it seemed, because both were on their feet, stumbling through the forest until they stepped into the clearing with the Bone-Eater's well. The girl laughed and slumped down, leaning her back against the timber of the old well. She didn't bring her bow and arrows. He snorted, though the sound was not even audible to his ears. Her fighting strategy consisted mostly out of distracting an opponent. He barely ever seen her go for the kill and if she did, it was mostly because one of those infernal friends were involved.

He felt himself stiffen. Inuyasha, his movements sluggish, moved forward towards the girl. Although he wasn't particularly attached to the her, he felt his muscles lock. The Half-breed leant over her, his mouth brushing over hers, in away he knew humans often liked to show affection. He had partaken in such an act before, but never had it seem to infuriate him like this. How dare that half-breed touch something that was his. His claws bit into the skin of his palms and he carefully unclenched them. The Miko didn't even seem aware and her eyes fluttered before unconsciousness finally claimed her.

He was before them in a second, claws itching to rip his brother's heart out, but the smell of alcohol was so strong around them he hesitated. Even with his senses, his half-brother should have been able to sense him, but the boy didn't even move. Sesshōmaru pushed his index and middle finger against the Hanyō's forehead. The boy's eyes didn't even flutter and his head lolled back.

There was no honour in hurting a man — even a disgrace to his house — when he could not even dream to defend himself and Sesshōmaru took a step back. His brother's life would be his eventually.

Black boots moved silently upon the scrubby grass and the tussocks stretched out in all directions. Breathing in slowly, he leapt high into the air. His haori flailed around him, yet he was as silent phantom winter gale. The air was chilly against his face and at the far eastern horizon a purple light was starting, yet the sky above was still riddled with stars. He descended on a branch on the large Goshinboku. He was close enough when both his brother and the Miko awoke to the harsh morning light.

He peered out over the woods and at the village when Tōtōsai arrived. Watched his Miko and brother awoke from their slumbering. Apparently, the arrival of the swordsmith was expected and Sesshōmaru almost did a double-take when the old man offered her a sword.

 _'The little brat had requested a sword?'_

More importantly, the old senile fool had granted it, while he hadn't for this Sesshōmaru? He felt more than a little irritation start at his temples and slowly rubbed his fingers in soothing circles over his temples.

She was looking awed at the sword. He almost sneered and slowly took it from him. "It looks great, Tōtōsai-san." She whispered.

"What did you use for it?" the Monk asked curiously.

"A fang," Tōtōsai replied evasively and he was immediately suspicious. He wouldn't dare…

"A fang?" the girl asked slowly, tentatively peering at the sword. He felt it when she pushed her aura out, and he recognised the youki around the sword easily.

"That little—" he whispered, cracking his knuckles, noxious gas leaking from his hands and melted away at the tree branch he was standing on.

"It isn't his, is it?" she squeaked, now holding the sword at arm's length as if it would come alive and slash her in to her by itself.

"He left it with me when he _commissioned_ me." Tōtōsai answered dryly and the girl eyed him with large eyes and a paling face.

"You want me dead?" She asked and almost dropped the sword from her hands. "Have you any idea what he would do if he knows of this? Using _his_ fang? Are you insane?"

"I don't have anything else that is suitable for you." The man answered, stroking his goatee. "To support your ki and the youki inside of you, I needed something more sturdy."

"Sturdy?" she asked and he was slightly, unusually amused by the panicked tone of her voice.

"Yep," Tōtōsai nodded, "but if he might come, then I'm not waiting around for that to happen."

Sesshōmaru watched the old man step onto his ox and ascended to the sky. The girl fidgeted, sending a panicking look towards his brother. "He left me to die." She yelped and Inuyasha stared at the swordsmith's retreating back.

"I can hunt him down if you want?" Inuyasha asked.

Sesshōmaru tuned out the rest of their conversation. He stood there seething, feet balancing on the thick branch of a large oak tree and knuckles tracking threateningly. The girl was not sensing him as of yet, he had his youki perfectly concealed after all, but as he felt his anger rise, the girl tilted her head faintly in question. The air stilled in his lungs as she peered at him, eyes wide and a slight knit in her brow. With every encounter, he had with his half-brother his preoccupation with this girl was intensifying. His hand automatically gripped at the hilt of Tōkijin and his eyes narrowed. Her scent was, even when surrounded by alcohol, rather pleasant and he found himself taking every ample opportunity to observe her.

His awareness of her life-force made him itch. The sound of her voice made his skin crawl in a way that was not enterable unpleasant. He had found himself trace the delicate contours of her face and follow the pale column of her neck. He shook his head. It was hardly the time to confront the girl about the fang. Hardly the time, after observing her all night.

He couldn't deny that he wanted her. His upper lip curled and he took to the sky. There were more urgent matters to attend to. Obviously, watching his brother's group, waiting for explanations for the change in his scent didn't solve the problem. More importantly, did spying on her, only add fuel to a quickly growing obsession. As long as _she_ ran through his bloodstream, he would never be free of that girl. Sesshōmaru tore through the sky, trampling over the clouds. He had better things to do…

 **I-I. ⌡. Γ┐**

It took him several days to remember his father's late acquaintance. Rin the little human girl was swinging her legs happily while riding on Sesshōmaru's gigantic dragon Ah-Un. Jaken, his face pinched and his bulbous eyes solemn, tracked through the forest beside her and for once was silent. The Daiyōkai peered through the forest and his features darkened.

The ancient magnolia tree stood tall mere metres away, deep inside the old remote forest. A thick youki curled around the bark and branches. Sesshōmaru peered at the old bark and noticed that the branches and the leaves — still perfectly in place — remained motionless against the soft breeze.

If Bokusenō didn't know how his younger half-sibling could take up the air of a full-blooded yōkai than no one could.

"I'd thought you'd be coming to visit me sometime soon, Sesshōmaru." A deep booming voice remarked.

"Bokusenō, you expected this Sesshōmaru to visit?"

"That you've come to see me means that you've come to me with the swords, haven't you?" The voice asked again and suddenly, in the centre of the tree, a humanoid face appeared. Eyes, dark and made out of bark peered out at the yōkai-lord who came to visit him. "It's about your Oyaji-dono's memento, Tetsusaiga, right?"

Sesshōmaru nodded slowly. Little Rin clapped her hands together softly before slipping off of Ah-Un and stepped up next to Jaken. "Master Jaken, is this a tree spirit?"

His companion didn't know either and yellow bulbous eyes peered up at him. "Sesshōmaru-sama, who on earth is this?"

The Daiyōkai sighed. "A 2000-year-old Magnolia tree."

"Indeed," the tree answered, "also, Tetsusaiga and tenseiga were both carved from branches of mine."

"Yes," Sesshōmaru nodded, "you'd know, wouldn't you? The connection between Inuyasha and Tetsusaiga that is."

"Ah, yes, your younger brother, hm?"

"Hn," Sesshōmaru answered as affirmative. "During battle, first when the Tetsusaiga was bitten apart by an oni and the second time when he relinquished the fang in battle against me, his Hanyō blood scent became similar to mine and that of Chichi-ue's"

"The same yōkai's blood, hm? I wonder about that…"

"What do you mean?"

"In a time of battle, you Sesshōmaru, have a near perfect control over yourself. You remain calm even when pressured."

Sesshōmaru acknowledged that statement with a small nod. He was hardly ever pressed. After all, as a Daiyōkai he was feared throughout all of his lands and far beyond. Bokusenō seemed to realise that too because after a moment of silence he continued.

"The pure yōkai blood of his father is too much for a hanyō. In essence, after repeated transformation, Inuyasha will eventually lose his soul, not recognising himself. He will feel no fear, no pain and no remorse. He'll make sure to keep on fighting until he'll die."

"I see," he answered, remaining silent for a moment.

"Dosing a human with youki," he slowly started, "in theory, what would that do?"

"Initial marking?"

"Hn,"

"Humans aren't meant to have youki." The Magnolia tree started. "Radiating through their bodies it causes an inflammatory reaction. Humans will eventually die, complete mark or not."

Yes, that was what Sesshōmaru had thought too, yet the Miko was not being hurt by his youki anymore. "And a priestess?"

"Uncommon, young Lord, but with the right amount of holy power, it might balance it. It could intensify the human's physical strength, speed and power."

"Seems fitting," Jaken responded and Sesshōmaru felt a muscle in his cheek tense. He must have noticed the flare in the Daiyōkai's aura as the small imp yōkai scuffled away.

Bokusenō peered curiously at the yōkai lord's face and Sesshōmaru nodded slowly. So that was what happened. He would have to verify of course, yet it would explain the change in scent. After a moment of silence, Sesshōmaru turned away and started to walk away. Bokusenō's face slid back inside the rough bark of the tree.

To be continued…

 **A/N: Miroku is a lecherous man, Sesshōmaru? I'm shocked that you noticed. And of course, we now know why Chiharu is not as affected by the youki than she probably should. Either way, that doesn't mean it won't remain a problem in the future. Next chapter will have massive Sesshōmaru and Chiharu interaction (especially for the Daiyōkai's standarts^^), so stay tuned.**

 **Next update upcoming Thursday. Please leave a review!**

 **Inuyasha does NOT belong to me**


	22. Chapter 21, Bursting through the Door

**A/N: Enjoy the next installment and leave a review. What do you all think?^^**

 **Enjoy**

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 **o.O.o**

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Chapter Twenty-One, Bursting through the door

 **T** he sky was coloured like a tiger, bands of gold alternated with patches of the deepest brown-black, the pattern changing by the minute. The sun was sinking behind the mountains and after several days filled with rain, the change in weather was greatly appreciated. The little group of shard hunters had made camp for the night, after a long day of travelling to the West. Inuyasha had been in a constant bad mood, still unable to use the heavier Tetsusaiga and their quest for Shikon-No-Tama shards wasn't going well either. The ever elusive Naraku had once again hidden his locations somewhere else.

The sun settled lower in the sky behind the trees, a long shade of evening creep along the shore of the hot spring and up the lower flanks of the hills ahead of them. Chiharu Higurashi gazed at her hands as the water of the river swallowed them up till her wrists. A stubborn stain on the wooden bowl mocked her silently and she ground her jaws together. Her eyebrows furrowed and the water sloshed wetly against her arms. Her Miko garbs hung on a line tightly bound between two trees, water dripping softly onto the forest floor. The t-shirt and her boy-shorts, already drenched from her several attempts to clean all their dirty dishes, clung to her body and she sighed. At least the water was warm she thought dryly as she dropped the bowl next to her and sunk her feet into the hot water of the hot spring.

Shippō glanced at her from across the water, his cheeks puffed up and his nose only inches above the warm liquid. Their constant need to be clean and their appreciation of warm water seemed to be rubbing off on him.

"You shouldn't stay too long in the water, Shippō-chan." She told him lightly. "If you'll do you'll turn into a prune."

"Kagome-chan was in there much longer and she doesn't look like a prune!" Shippō declared childishly, wiggling his finger above the water and paddled through the water happily.

"Well, there goes my back up." Chiharu muttered, packing their bowls into Kagome's huge backpack and glanced at the other two girls. "Don't you think we should head back?"

"Not yet, Chiharu-chan." Sango said, also submerged in the hot water. She had a towel wrapped around her form even in the water and she slowly crossed the hot spring. "Why are you wearing that?"

"I don't have a spare yukata," she answered, "so until my clothes dry, I wear this."

Sango frowned, fingers pulling at the hem of Chiharu's t-shirt, which was at least one size too big and shook her head. "Not that I don't think you look pretty in these clothes, but they are far too big on you."

"There's nothing wrong with my pyjama. Except that they're drenched that is." The older Higurashi sister huffed, yanking her brush through her thick dark tresses.

"I think Sango-chan thinks they're indecent." Chiharu goaded splashing some water to her older sister with her foot.

"No, no!" Sango yelped quickly, a bit too quickly. "I didn't say that—"

"Of course she has a point," Chiharu continued and Kagome pursed her lips before dropping her brush to the floor and sitting back on her haunches. "They protect my modesty well enough at our home, but here— Here that's different, isn't it?"

"What are you saying, Imouto-san?" Kagome asked slowly. "I wear them every night, and Sango never comments on them."

Sango was opening and closing her mouth like a fish, her face beet-red and spluttering to find something to say. Chiharu didn't let her, continuing effortlessly. "Well, I suppose we are used to you running around dressed indecently."

"That's it you little pest!" the older hissed, getting to her feet and Chiharu laughed when she dodged a bar of soap and Kagome grabbed her shampoo bottle to throw next. When she was out of flying missiles, she growled and threw herself bodily at her younger sister. They both squeaked when they toppled back into the water and burst up into air.

She playfully swatted at her sister and Sango frowned.

"And now the both of you are drenched, how lovely is that." She said, her lips strained as if she tried to look stern but couldn't help laughing. It took her long enough to realise they were teasing her. "It serves the both of you right for doing that to me."

"You should have seen your face, Sango-chan." Kagome hiccuped lightly. "I forgot how much fun it is to push people."

"Oh, you think it is fun, huh?" Sango demanded swatting them both with the end of her towel.

"I'm sorry, Sango-chan." Chiharu choked out, failing in keeping from laughing. "It was something we did sometimes to our friends at school. We won't do it again."

"Not tonight at least," Kagome whispered and Chiharu grinned. Sango flicked her dark brown hair over her shoulder and turned back towards her pink yukata. They bathed in silence after that.

Her dark hair still damp when they started to pack their stuff. The blueish sky was slowly being tainted crimson and a soft breeze brushed over the lands. The days were becoming longer and the nights shorter. Spring was approaching, yet the nights were still cool.

A twig snapped from behind the bushes and Chiharu frowned.

"That bloody monk," Sango muttered annoyed before stooping low and chucking a stone at the bushes. "Miroku, if you don't bugger up right now, it won't be just a stone I throw at you!"

Chiharu pulled her haori from the washing line and slipped it over her shoulders, wrapping it around her like a morning gown and took one of Sango's knives, her own weapons at the other side of the Hot spring. Whoever was coming their way it was not Miroku and she blew a lock of hair out of her face. This person, obviously yōkai, did not have an aura and Chiharu frowned. She knew of only one person who didn't have an aura and that was—

The hairs on the back of her neck lifted, hunting gooseflesh over her arms and legs, causing Chiharu to shiver. As if blinking into existence, Sesshōmaru's form materialised before them, the foliage rustling behind him, as he stepped out the bushes. He was imposing, a subtle grace in his movements and his mere presence quietened the forest. Cold golden eyes clashed with Chiharu's chocolate brown and cobalt blue and she felt a tingle dun down her spine.

"Sesshōmaru?"

His eyes narrowed at her and for a fearful second, Chiharu thought he must have found out about the sword. With a tingle of fear, she took a step back, inching towards her bow and arrows. From the corner of her eyes, she saw Sango take a tight hold on her boomerang-bone and slowly, carefully shook her head. ' _Don't_ ,' she mouthed at the older girl and although reluctantly, the slayer lowered the weapon a bit.

"Miko,"

"What does he want?" Shippō whispered as he inched towards Kagome and hid behind her.

"I don't know, Shippō-chan." Kagome answered, her face crinkled with distaste.

He didn't seem extremely angry, nor did she think he was upset. Her eyes flitted towards the katana next to her bow and arrows and she fidgeted in her place. "Erm, do you need something?"

"Hn,"

She shuddered as she felt a flux of demonic energy flooded her senses and Chiharu peered up at the infamous Daiyōkai with worried eyes. He took a step towards her and the young Miko licked her dry lips and firmly gripped at the material of her haori.

"Come," he beckoned calmly.

Chiharu breathed out loudly. "I don't understand—"

Sango's hand was an inch from the tasselled handhold of her boomerang-bone, about to throw it and suddenly Sesshōmaru was standing on the large weapon, pushing the Taijiya back by the pure force of youki. "You will not interfere, Taijiya." He told her silkily.

"The hell I will!" She snapped, but Chiharu easily recognised the terror in her voice. Sango rolled towards her slayer's outfit and pulled a palm length dagger out. "Don't you dare come any closer."

"You don't really think this Sesshōmaru is afraid of you?" The Daiyōkai asked dryly, before peering at Chiharu again. "You are coming with me, Miko."

She didn't have time to respond as suddenly the branches of trees creaked when Inuyasha appeared. He growled angrily perching on a nearby low hanging branch. "Sesshōmaru, what the fuck are you doing here, you arsehole?"

"Little brother," Sesshōmaru greeted him lightly, but Chiharu easily recognised the disdain in his voice.

Inuyasha bared his fangs in a silent snarl as he glared fiercely at his older brother. His finger crooked around the hilt of Tetsusaiga. "I said, what the fuck are you doing here, you arsehole?"

Chiharu sucked her lips and gnawed at her lower lip in speculation, pondering silently what Sesshōmaru wanted. Surely, Inuyasha insulting him wouldn't go over well and she regarded the Daiyōkai as he suddenly neared. Inuyasha was on the forest-floor, charging at his older brother suddenly.

Sesshōmaru dodged the younger man and twirled around on his toes before thrusting the hilt of Tōkijin in Inuyasha's face. Inuyasha cried out as he slammed into the dirt. He moved faster than her eyes could follow and appeared behind her. She wasn't surprised and the fingers of her right hand curled tightly around the dull knife. Chiharu didn't move, peering at the moonlight glinting off the leaves on the trees and the scrubby grass in the small clearing.

"What do you want from her?" Inuyasha asked swiftly getting to his feet.

Sesshōmaru snorted, one hand wrapped tightly around her shoulder. "That's unusually quick of you, little brother. Miko, drop the knife."

Chiharu carefully peered over her shoulder. "Why don't you tell me what you want from me? You don't really have the best track-record when you're actions are considered."

"You will see, but it would be better if you came out of your own volition."

"Like it matters if I come out of my own volition or not."

His mouth stretched into an evil smile her fingers tightened even more around the pocketknife. Inuyasha charged at his brother again. Chiharu gasped, twirled into the Daiyōkai's grasp, embedded the knife into his wrist and used her holy power to push him back. She barely dodged the Hanyō as he threw himself at his older brother. Sesshōmaru seemed more annoyed than was strictly necessary, a thin trail of blood running down his hand as he pulled the knife out.

She could tell it was already healing as he held Inuyasha off. Tetsusaiga was too heavy and his moved obvious when he could hardly lift his father's fang. Chiharu winced when Sesshōmaru's embedded the blade of his sword in the Hanyō's shoulder and used his other hand to hold of Tetsusaiga. Inuyasha's grip on the sword slacked and Tetsusaiga's transformation faded.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome screamed loudly.

The Hanyō was on his knees panting now. Blood was soaking his sleeve and the side of his haori. "You're an arsehole." He choked and Sesshōmaru narrowing his golden eyes in mild vexation. He slowly raised his sword and Chiharu felt cold terror run through her. He was going to kill his younger brother.

"Stop!" she demanded, her voice clear and cold, despite the terror she felt. Slowly the tall Daiyōkai turned his face to hers and Chiharu crossed her arms over her chest. "If I go with you, without a fight whatsoever, will you leave my friends alone? You can't really expect them to stand back when you come here unannounced."

He held her gaze, his hand tightening even more around Tōkijin's hilt and finally he nodded at her. The tall Daiyōkai slowly stepped back, sheathing his sword once again.

"Don't!" Kagome cried loudly and Chiharu squeezed her eyes shut.

Chiharu released the breath she was holding and turned to her sister. 'I will be fine,' she mouthed to the older girl. She saw her terrified eyes as he wrapped an arm around her waist and bounced off of the ground. She gulped, fingers gripping his kimono tightly and stared over his shoulder. Inuyasha was cursing loudly, but as they ascended her friends started to resemble ants more than actual humans and yōkai.

She noticed blood spots on his sleeve and she swallowed. He didn't seem horribly annoyed by it and as they flew he didn't say a word. Till now she'd only ever travelled by herself or once or twice on Inuyasha's back — mostly when they fought, therefore she wasn't really used to heights. Or at least not the kind of heights that brought you 200 hundredth feet off the ground.

She shifted nervously in his hold. He hadn't dropped her the last time and, although that hardly guaranteed her safety, she slowly relaxed the firm grip she had on him. Her hair flailed around her face and she carefully peered around. The light of the moon reflected softly off of the surface of a river below and she was slightly surprised how impressive the sight was from here. She could only imagine this was how travelling with an airplane felt (although that probably felt a bit safer than this) and looped her arm a bit more comfortable around his neck, craning hers to get a better look. She heard Sesshōmaru sigh when he had to adjust his hold on her, but she paid him no heed. She had never been this high up and she was definitely awed.

 **I-I. ⌡. Γ┐**

When they landed almost an hour later, the moon had risen to sky's zenith. The girl had her arms wrapped tightly around her upper body, face pale limbs shaking lightly. She seemed to be cold and glowered at him from the corners of her eyes. He hadn't thought she'd been annoyed when they had been flying but now she looked much like a sulking child.

The girl had been blissfully silent during their brief journey. She merely kept peering around as he skimmed over the treetops. He'd heard her more than once gasp at the landscape as it passed and he'd been reminded that even though she looked like a young woman she very much was still a child.

A sulking child.

"Why did you bring me here?" She asked softly, peering around the forest. He assumed she was searching for recognisable parts. He could spare her the trouble. They were far into his lands and he was absolutely sure she'd never been here. If she had she would have accompanied his over zealous brother and Sesshōmaru would have known if the Half-breed had trespassed.

"I need your—" he thought carefully about his next words. She was rather patiently waiting for him to continue and he wondered how foolishly naive she was to still believe in the good in others. Why else coming so willingly with someone who'd hurt her before. "I need your expertise." He decided on and he watched the gears in her brain work.

She was rather clever for a human. His golden eyes flitted over her small form and he frowned. The girl was barely dressed, her under clothes hardly adequate to ward of the chill of the night and the Miko haori barely reaching past her calves. Perhaps he should have allowed her to get dressed.

He peered at her again, wondering lightly if she would catch a cold now too. The Miko peered up at him through her thick lashes. The silent question why he'd _requested_ her aid hung unspoken in the air.

He ignored her for a moment, following the narrow path in the tall grass and paused when he reached the hollowed out cave in the tall mountain. The girl stopped next to him, her eyes taking longer to adjust to the darkness than his did.

His companions were huddled around a dim fire, the embers were already dimming. His young ward Rin was not fairing well, her face flushed and her body quivering. It looked eve worse than it had a few hours ago, when he'd left to find the Miko girl.

The Miko gasped softly, he watched her eyes widen. "A girl?"

He'd half expected her to turn to him with suspicious eyes, but she didn't wait for him to answer and crossed the cave, crouching down beside his young ward. Jaken glowered at her from the other side of the cave, the skilfully carved staff, crowned with heads of a young woman and an old man shuddered into his hands as he shifted.

The girl payed him no mind and carefully brushed Rin's dark fringe away from her forehead and placed her head gently against her cheeks and then against her forehead. The little human girl slowly peered up through half-lidded eyes. Eyebrows furrowed together when she didn't recognise the girl looking down at her.

"Hello, sweetie," the Miko whispered, "my name is Chiharu, what's yours?"

"Rin,"

"Hello Rin, you have a bit of a fever, kiddo, tell me what are you feeling?" She asked, pulling the bowl filled with cold water to her and sponged the girl's forehead. Rin moaned softly, eyelashes fluttering against her flushed cheeks and the Miko ran her fingers slowly through the tangled mass of the small child's locks.

"My muscles hurt," Rin whispered softly, craning her neck slightly to curiously peer into the Miko's face. The girl on her part seemed enough of a healer to understand getting up wasn't an option and carefully pushed Rin back on her tatami. The Miko slanted her arms across her chest, digging her fingers into the sleeves of her haori and turned to look at Sesshōmaru.

"How long has she been like this?"

"Since yesterday,"

She looked thoughtful for a moment, a slight knit in her brow. Her hair tumbled freely down her back and shoulders and with her clothing leaving little to the imagination he would admit she looked rather fetching. Then again, he'd never been ignorant to the beauty mortals could have, even if he thought himself immune for them. His father's human had been beautiful too.

"All right," she whispered, and he blinked, mildly irritated that he left his mind wandering. She rubbed her hands together, turning fully towards Sesshōmaru. "She has the flu. Or at least I think it is the flu. She needs to stay hydrated and well I think some painkillers and tea against the aches would help."

"No bloodletting?" Jaken suddenly asked and the girl gave him a long look.

"You're not serious are you?"

"I've seen you humans do it." The greenish yōkai muttered defensively and the girl rolled her eyes.

"Right," she muttered, "well, it's frowned upon by several Medici so no, we're not going to bleed the girl out. God in this time, medical practicers are insane."

The girl shivered again and slowly leaned back on her haunches. "Listen she needs a lot of rest, keep her cool. Replace the cloth on her forehead ever thirty minutes and I could go and find some herbs—" she shivered again and he sighed, cutting her off with an annoyed look.

"Where are your clothes, Miko?"

"Drying back at the campsite." She told him curtly, wrapping her haori close around her body, but it did little to vent of the cold of the night. "I'm going to get the herbs before it starts raining again." She continued, wrapping her arms around her abdomen she got up to her feet and started walk out of the cave.

Sesshōmaru didn't move and she glared again. "Man this time are pigs." She whispered angrily and although he supposed he should take offence on that, he found it slightly amusing when she stomped outside.

Rin coughed again. Sesshōmaru studied his young ward carefully. The shimmering haze of the campfire brought out her pale face, and accentuated her flushed cheeks. He listened a few seconds to her erratic heartbeat before following the Miko out. It would be just his luck if his only means of understanding humans would die outside.

 **I-I. ⌡. Γ┐**

The fact that he had sought her out specifically somewhat surprised her. He'd known she travelled with his brother and she knew how much Sesshōmaru and Inuyasha hated each other. So why seek out her? Then again, she did have a bond with him. With a scowl she glared at her bare feet and puffed her cheeks up. Why couldn't she have dressed herself when she had the chance? Chiharu peered at the treetops through her lashes. Although she couldn't hear his footsteps, she could sense he was there. For once he didn't seem to feel the need to conceal the immense weight of his aura, cooly brushing against her skin.

She pulled out clods of mint with more force than was strictly necessary and felt a muscle in her temple twitch as dirt rained down onto her knees and on the hem of her shorts. Dropping them with the rest of the medicinal herbs, she sighed.

' _Why couldn't he just seek her out the way he normally did?_ '

If he had no one would have been the wiser and he wouldn't have had to hurt Inuyasha the way he did. Her shoulders sagged and she slowly got up to her feet. She'd found most of the important herbs and slowly made her way back to the cave.

It had started to rain and she quickened her pace. When she stepped into the cave Sesshōmaru was already there, dry without even a hair out of place. Shooting a sullen glare at the Daiyōkai's pale, majestic figure, she quietly added the leaves to a bowl of water and carefully inched towards the quivering girl.

"Honey, I need you to open your eyes for me." Chiharu softly explained and Rin slowly peered up at her. "Can you drink this for me?"

Lightening shot through the sky and Chiharu winced slightly. Rin's eyes flitted towards the cave's entrance, but being as sick as she was she didn't seem to recognise the thunder and carefully accepted the bowl. The girl drank the contents silently, her nose scrunched up as she encountered the bitter taste. Though horrible the taste might be, at least the girl would sleep on it. Chiharu watched Rin's eyes droop and gently ran her fingers through the child's unruly hair. She gave a huge yawn and Chiharu sat next to her until her breathing turned even. With far more energy that it should cost she heaved herself up and slowly tracked to one side of the cave.

She tiredly collapsed to the floor and hugged her legs to her chest. Her hair messily framed her face and her damp haori clung to her figure. She was cold and tired and wanted to curl up in her sleeping bag, but that wasn't really an option.

Sesshōmaru was looking at her. She felt his eyes constantly on her. She heard him get up to his feet, heard the swish of silk as he moved and peered curiously up at him as he crouched down before her.

He crouched down before her. She peered up at him slowly and he realised it was the first time she didn't look frightened and he was almost surprised. The brown and blue of her irises curiously met his gaze and he was once again reminded why he'd thought her to be interesting. He caught her chin between his fingers and the pad of his thumb stroked carefully across her lower lip and her eyelids fluttered.

"I like the girl," she told him softly, and as he pulled his hand back she caught it in hers. Large eyes stared back at him and he was strangely reminded of an older version of Rin. "I don't know how you and she came to travel together, but she's nice!"

He was slightly surprised with her when her fingers absentmindedly traced over his markings. His nostrils twitched at the slight tickle it produced, yet the girl seemed totally unaware of doing it. "What are you going on about?"

She pursed her lips. "I just don't really understand it—"

He didn't ask her what she didn't understand. He didn't really care, he didn't really mind. He knew what she meant even when she didn't say it out loud. Why taking care of a human, but hating the Hanyō disgrace. The girl would never really understand. His youki brushed over her reiki. He could easily detect the youki running dormant through her system. Her hand fell away, dropping on her knee and he got up to his feet. She released a heavy breath and curled up on her side, pillowing her head on her arms. He heard it when she fell asleep, her heartbeat steady and her breathing deep and even.

The rain came down in gentle waves, the gravity of the raindrops creating a rhythmic sound. Rin's quivering lessened after a few hours and her breathing turned more even, while her heartbeat less erratic. Instead the Miko had started quivering. He gave her a tired look from his spot against the wall and after observing the girl for a few minutes he slowly rose and crossed the short distance between them. Settling down next to the quivering Miko against the wall, and pulled against his side. She stirred in his hold and he felt himself stiffen. He hoped she would remain sleeping, as her eyelashes fluttered. Her breath puffed against his neckline, but after a few seconds she sighed and snuggled against him. With a soft exhale, she fell back in her deep slumber, still and peaceful. He peered at her face and frowned, a human and a Miko, what strange combination they were. Her lashes fluttered again as his breath fell onto her cheeks and his eyes fell upon her slightly parted lips. The same lips his brother had tasted first.

 **I-I. ⌡. Γ┐**

Chiharu woke up later, warm and comfortable. The world was a watery blur and her surroundings were hidden in the twilight. The rain had stopped and the moon, hanging high in the sky, peeked out behind a cloud. Pale streams of soft pure light fell in through the cave opening and scattered across the cold stones. Chiharu blinked against the pale light, disorientated and tired. Silver hair gleaming in the light of the moon, fell on her cheek and over her shoulder. The side of her face was pressed against his unarmoured chest and her hair messily framing her head. After a few bewildered moments, she realised how she'd come here. It was still dark outside, but it had stopped raining. They were sitting together on the floor of the cave, his companions all asleep, although he was not.

Chiharu felt her face redden and she slowly extracted herself from his side. Her heart was thumping hard and fast and she aggressively rubbed at her eyes.

"You kissed my brother."

Chiharu sighed. Of course she had sensed him at one point that evening, but she hadn't realised he had stayed long enough to witness that. She slowly moved a bit further away from him, but kept close enough to feel his body heat radiating off of him.

"He was drunk."

Sesshōmaru snorted. "So where you."

"Yes," she admitted. "So that means it doesn't count. Though, even if it did, why do you care?"

The light in his eyes grew murderous. Abruptly, he lowered his head, so that their faces were mere inches apart. Slender brows were furrowed and she felt his warm breath on her lips. Chiharu's breath got stuck in her throat as she peered back into his heated gaze.

To be continued…

 **A/N:And that was chapter twenty-two. I hope everyone enjoyed it and stay tuned for the next one. Huhuhuh, it's almost like a cliffhanger...**


	23. Chapter 22, An unlikely alliance

**A/N: I think many of you expected this to run a bit differently, but let's be honest. Sesshōmaru needs a bit more pushing before he will done his cold-hearted mask. Anyway, chapters will start to become a bit more mature from here on. I'm not sure if it's mature enough to deem it 'M' instead of 'T', so I'll leave the rate like this.**

 **Please comment (your opinion on the rating of this story would certainly be appreciated)^^**

 **InuYasha does not belong to me**

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 **o.O.o**

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 _ **Chapter Twenty-Two, A Yōkai and his human ward**_

 **H** is molten amber eyes, which normally glinted with scorn or indifference shone in a different light that moment. His grip tightened on her hair, the tips of his claws curved softly against her scalp. He was so close she could practically count the lashes on his eyelids and her eyes flitted hurriedly from his eyes to his lips and back again. She would have thought he was attempting to kiss her had it not been for the curious look he gave her.

"What are you doing?"

He didn't answer. At the Western horizon, the sun was starting to rise, warm light filtering in through the entrance. She waited It shouldn't have surprised her and she sighed, digging her fingers into her sleeves. His lips brushed against the shell of her ear when he leaned over her. "You should know whom you belong to…"

As he pulled his hand back she felt a few strands of hair rip against his claws. She felt her eyes narrow. "I'm not yours." She told him simply. "You can't just decide to own someone just like that."

A tremulous smile tugged at his lips but she curled up onto her side and turned over, curling her knees to her chest, pillowing her head on her arm. She remained close enough to feel his body heat radiating off of him. Behind her shuttered lids, the mere morning light lingered yet she was tired enough to drift off to sleep in mere minutes.

When she woke up three hours later she was covered up by Sesshōmaru's larger haori and the Daiyōkai was nowhere to be seen. With a yawn she slowly sat up, pulling her arms through the sleeves of the haori and fastened the bindings messily. It reached just past her knees and she felt far more comfortable then she had last night in just her pyjama. As she sat up, she fingered around the cave to sit up when she felt a sash next to her. With her eyebrows furrowed together, she tightened the cloth around her waist.

"Oh, you're finally up?" Jaken, Sesshōmaru's green retainer, asked her stiffly and her eyes narrowed at his tone. "Do all measly humans sleep this long?"

"Jaken, I swear to God, if you say one more insulting thing, I'll purify you."

"You aren't capable." He retorted dryly and she gave him the most poisonous glare she could muster while her reiki flared in warning. He eyes her angrily but quickly back-pedalled and she paid him no more heed. With a tired yawn, she shifted uncomfortably to her feet and attempted to smooth her tangled, wind-blown hair out of her face. Rin was still sleeping and with the practiced ease of a girl who'd taken care of her younger sibling many times, she pushed the dark fringe out of her face and tried to gauge her temperature.

The girl was still too warm, but at least she was looking better. With a tired sigh, she slowly sat back at her haunches and peered at the herbs she'd gathered just hours ago. Although most of them looked still useful, she could see the rims of the leaves starting to turn brown.

"I'm going to gather more herbs and I want to bath. My feet look like I've tried to give myself a mud-bad and failed at it." She told him, picking up a wooden basket with a small lid.

Jaken didn't answer. She wriggled her toes disdainfully and ventured out of the cave, trekking into the forest. A watery sun had broken through the clouds, illuminating the billows of mist and the leaves of the canopy above. A large dark crow peered down at her, sitting on the stark branches of a tree. It fluttered its wings before taking off in the air and she watched it sear up in the sky with curious eyes. In the distance, she heard the running of water and she sniffed the air, hoping against hope there would be a hot spring close by.  
She sank to her knees next to a spot of wild mint and carefully pulled them out, extracting the leaves and dropping them into the woven basket. The birds around her chirped and the forest animals busied themselves not too far away from them.

When she'd gathered enough herbs she kicked the lid on the basket with her foot and trekked further into the woods. She trudged along the forest floor, thin rays of sunlight piercing through the hood of darkening sky above. The chilly wind raked through her borrowed haori and picked up her hair. She trembled in the slight cold and slowly shrugged out of her clothes, swiftly stepping into the water. The cold liquid stung at her skin, leaving a tingling sensation running down her legs. She inhaled sharply before sinking under the water's surface. Cool darkness pressed down on her and she peered up at the warped face of the sun.

She came up for air again and waddled through the water, rubbing at her dirty feet and knees until they're returned to their normal colour. In the distance, she heard humans going about their way. She pulled herself out of the water, drops riveting down her body, and redressed again.

His haori must have been of a special silk because as she stood she felt it dry against her skin and, considering she'd seen it torn and bloodied before, she was rather sure it must have some special repellant into it as well.

Sesshōmaru was a bit of an enigma to her, but most of all, she thought he might be lonely. Of course, he had Jaken around, who grovelled and followed him around everywhere, but the green bulbous-eyed yōkai only did that, because the Daiyōakai was very strong. She wondered if that was why he had Rin around now. She hadn't thought Sesshōmaru to have the patience to entertain a young human girl.

Till now she had thought him to be a bit of a psychopath. He was powerful — no doubt about that —, highly intelligent and felt little empathy for anyone. The latter rather obvious by the way he went after his little brother or how he killed without remorse.

Yet, the way Rin had looked at him it was rather obvious she adored him. She wetted her lips and leant back against the bark of a tree. He hadn't killed her yet either. Although her death hadn't really served a purpose she countered, even if she had no idea what purpose he was planning on. Perhaps, in time, he would use her humanity to wield the Tetsusaiga. She thought it rather surprising he hadn't tried it yet. If it was her, wanting to wield such a sword, that might have been the first line of action. Either, Sesshōmaru hadn't thought about that, or he truly did not covet the sword anymore.

The latter would mean he had practically ruined her life for nothing and she felt a dark sort of anger settle in the lower part of her stomach. Sure, she had become stronger and the fast healing rate had saved her numerous of times.

She shifted slightly when suddenly his choking aura crept like ice over her skin. He returned with barely audible footballs beating against the forest-floor and she blew a lock of hair out of her face.

' _Think of the devil and he'll appear_ ,' she thought dryly.

He didn't approach her immediately and after several moments of silence, she sighed. "I know you're there, Sesshōmaru."

"I was not concealing myself." He replied, stepping out of the foliage. She stared at him briefly and he sat down in front of her, cross-legged, one arm leaning on his knee while the other cradled his chin.

She always found his stares uneasy, because she never knew what he was looking for. His eyes lingered on her, or perhaps on his haori wrapped snugly around her fragile form and she sighed.

"Your sister seems to be quite fond of you." He offered slowly and Chiharu frowned. Of course, she was fond of her, why wouldn't Kagome be fond of her? They were twins and for a large part did everything together.

"Erm, yes," she nodded. "We get on well! I love her."

"Love…" He muttered.

"Yes, love," Chiharu pushed her hands in the large sleeves of her haori, watching him seated cross-legged near the chore. "You know what love is, don't you?"

Her last comment dripped with sarcasm and his eyes narrowed ever so slightly and his eyes turned a bit dark. She didn't understand him. She'd never had felt the need either, yet a bit of understanding could prove helpfully. He knew

"I cannot love," he stated stoically and Chiharu snorted. She met his gaze, pools of liquid amber clashing with her cobalt blue and dark brown.

"That's not true and you know it." she retorted. "You can love, you just build those walls around you…"

His face remained unchanged and she felt her fingers tingle with the need to slap him. He knew. She could tell. He was so different from his brother. Inuyasha barely ever sensed when he did something to displease Kagome until he was sat six feet under. Her eyebrows furrowed. Come to think of it, Inuyasha never really sensed Sesshōmaru approach until he was standing right before him, either.

"His senses aren't good enough to notice me." He told her, breaking through the shields of her mind.

"What about Rin?"

"What about her?"

"She idolises you."

"You're too naïve to be alive." He told her, before reaching out, grabbing her ankle and pulling her towards him. He was faster than her, taller than her, and as he toppled her over onto her back she realised with growing horror that he was also far stronger than her. Her heart pounded in her chest as the Daiyōkai loomed over her inches from her face. Chiharu had never doubted his greater strength, but she hadn't expected the way her Miko powers were useless against him. Especially since she had accepted his Youki so long ago.

Her eyes widened when he immobilised her upper body with one hand on her sternum. "What are you doing?" she whispered softly.

"You think you understand what goes on in this Sesshōmaru?" he whispered lowly.

"No, I don't think I do," she mumbled.

"You are so refreshingly naïve, not even Rin is like that."

"Get off me!" she snapped, trying to push his hand away from her sternum.

"Tell me, did my little brother explain _the_ _bond_ to you?" he asked smoothly. "Have you noticed the certain sight-effects, or did you think those were just awkward changes you had no control over?"

She glowered at him. "You are beating around the bush… I find it terribly annoying." she snapped, "Get off me!"

He smirked, his canines showing and his long hair fell against her cheek. He made no sign to remove himself from her and Chiharu glared into his face. "You have the foolish notion that you need love to find someone to be your other half. All you humans do but this bond—"

He lowered his face to the crook of her neck and sniffed delicately. Chiharu noticed the change in his scent. She could smell the overwhelming scent of a man mixed with rage and passion. She'd learned long ago not to agitate him and yet… Her heart quickened its pace in her chest and for a split second, she forgot that he was a murderous Yōkai on top of her and recognised the man.

Awareness woke in her body with a startled and desperate complexity and she knew he noticed, his breath puffing against her skin as he chuckled. Her nipples hardened and her breathing grew more laboured. The thrumming of her nerves must have been visible because his fingers ghosted over her hips. She allowed his fingers trailing over her suddenly exposed abdomen and drew in a shuddering breath. She lay there beneath him, unable to move and unable to stop him.

"This bond between us means you will be forced to want to please me," he whispered. "It doesn't matter what your rational self wants. Do you understand that, Miko?"

She renewed her struggles. Hands tangling into his haori, trying to pry him off of her: "Right, you've had your fun humiliating me," she hissed, "Just get off of me!"

He chuckled lowly before covering her mouth with his. Her mind screamed at her and she sank her dull nails into the flesh where his neck met his shoulder. Her struggles were futile and his mouth overtook hers, tongue exploring her mouth and Chiharu felt horror dawn onto her when her body started responding to him.

His claws fisted into her hair, pulling her head back and began to trace the puckered flesh of his mark.

She strained to keep control of her now writhing body. Finally understanding what he meant when he said she would want to please him. Her body wanted to please him, yet her mind was capable to resist him. He nipped at her ear as he held her hair and she shivered. His other hand started to wander up her exposed torso, pushing her haori off. He cupped her breast in his greater hand and her breath escaped her in a soft hissing sound. Her body was betraying her and as he twiddled her nipple, a soft moan escaped from her lips amidst her battle. She wriggled underneath him trying to get away again but to no avail.

"You see?" Sesshōmaru whispered into her ear, her breathing laboured. "You are mine!"

Her mind reeled with excitement and fear. Her mind screamed at her, but her body fought back with its own intentions. She couldn't deny her obvious arousal, even if it might only mirror his.

"You can't hide what your body so readily displays," he continued.

"You said it yourself," she panted, "my body is only mirroring yours."

He growled, red bled into his eyes. She ignored the warning bells in her head again and wondered if she should slap him. "And yet with all your so-called power, you cannot really do anything to me. Newsflash, genius, I am not your property, everything this bond resembles was forced."

She felt her breath hitch when pure anger took over his face. "You Are Mine!" he whispered angrily, and she hissed when his mouth clamped down onto the mark again. Her back arched, fingers fisting into the silk of his haori. Her hips canted on its own accord and she moaned when his claws trailed over her stomach. Tears accumulated in the corners of her eyes and he abruptly rose.

"Do not test me again, Miko."

She lay there for a brief moment before pulling her clothes up and wrapped her arms around her chest. "You're an arsehole, you know that?"

"This Sesshōmaru has always been aware of your opinion, yet it is of no concern."

Chiharu rubbed her hands together, getting up to her feet, breathing harshly. She had been right in her assessment. He was a psychotic arsehole and had no idea how to deal with people. Yes, she would admit she had provoked him. Some of the violence had been hers. Since she came here, she hadn't been exactly a perfect example of a good citizen. Stealing food and fighting with the locals, she was in many ways a hypocrite. She shivered and then remained very still, angrily staring out over the water surface.

 **I-I. ⌡. Γ┐**

She refused to speak to him. Didn't speak to him unless absolutely necessary and although he must have thought her childish, it gave her a grave sort of satisfaction when she noticed the muscle in his cheek tense and his eyes narrowed ever so slightly. Rin grew stronger the days following the incident and all that remained was a soft cough, a shortage of her usual energy — if Jaken was to be believed — and a hoarse voice.

They were somewhere in the high lands and it was already dark when Sesshōmaru sent them out to find some food. A hint of a colder wind slashed rather harshly against her cheeks and Jaken led them down the twisting passageways between the boulders out onto the tall grass. The Nintōjō swayed with every step the small imp took. and the silky black hair of the female of the once-beautiful woman tousled into the soft wind.

They had just travelled around a small mountain and Rin squealed with glee. There just a few metres away from them was a patch with melons. They were large and green and ripe and Chiharu felt an unusual tug in her chest at seeing them.

"Well," Jaken started, uncomfortable for some reason or the other, "go ahead, I don't have all night."

Rin nodded excitedly and Chiharu silently peered down at him. She was quite sure that if Sesshōmaru would order it he indeed would have all night. The imp-yōkai glared at the melon patch and Rin crouched down over a ripe melon. She sat down cross-legged before the fruit, cracking it open with a stone, and used both hands to pull out the fruit flesh. In seconds her whole face was covered in reddish goo and the child grinned.

She sat down next to Rin, cracking her own melon open and carefully picked at the fruit flesh. The taste of fruits in Sengoku jidai was different. Just like the air was less polluted and in a sense cleaner, the foods were _cleaner_ as well. She relished in the soft taste, although slightly sour and closed her eyes.

They snapped open seconds later when an aura she couldn't place, neared. It was fast and her nose wrinkled when she recognised Naraku's dour scent. Just as a gust of wind struck down onto the melon patch, Chiharu had moved, pulling Rin up against her chest and using the inhuman speed she was getting so used to, to dodge the blow.

"Kagura!" Jaken screeched, hastily following after Chiharu as she settled the child down behind a tree and faced Kagura.

The wind-witch's eyebrows were furrowed together. "The Miko girl," she whispered softly, "What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same." She returned stiffly and Kagura flipped her fan up, smiling leisurely at her.

"I am here for the child."

Chiharu cocked her head to the side, giving Jaken a meaningful look, which for once he understood, and peered back at the woman. She was an attractive young woman, although the red eyes and the pointy ears were a dead giveaway she wasn't human. Her hair was pulled up in a bun and two white feathers stuck out the bun as some kind of pin. Chiharu pushed her aura outwards and she saw Kagura fidget.

"I'm afraid you can't have the child." She told the woman dryly and red eyes narrowed at her.

"I'm sure getting you would be just as fine." She simply stated and Chiharu's eyebrows furrowed together.

"You do understand I am not human, don't you?"

"You look like one." Kagura goaded and in that second she could clearly see the resentment the other held for Naraku. The words unspoken — 'you look human enough to get close to Naraku' — hung in the air and she felt some of the tension leave her body. It was a foolish idea, idiotic even, but over the last few months, the group of shard-hunters had had little luck finding the foul baboon-wearing creature.

"I see,"

The wind-witch smiled, scooping down to grab her and Chiharu realised with more than a little tingle of horror that she was going to let her. Thin arms scooped her up and out of nowhere, a feather appeared, cushioning her slight fall.

"Act docile." The Wind-witch muttered and Chiharu sucked her cheeks between her teeth. She wasn't very good at acting docile but nodded stiffly.

The wind quickly slapped her hair out of her face and Chiharu made an effort to push the youki as far back as she could. It was a marvelous plan. She would be Naraku's docile prisoner and with that, she would be able to purify him. And as it was now, Kagura would literally serve her up on a silver platter. Fate, however, seemed to have other ideas in mind. She hardly even saw Naraku and in less then ten minutes she got dumped with Sango's little brother Kohaku. The boy didn't remember her and stoically peered at the opposite wall. Her patience lasted ten more minutes before she stalked out of the hut she'd been left into. The cottage had been guarded by a hoard of yōkai, but with her temper teetering on their last reserves, the purifying heat had boiled from her body and blindingly had purified them all.

Jaken had the gall to sigh miserably when she found them. After she had been 'kidnapped', Sesshōmaru had led their group down the twisting passageways into a small cave. The Daiyōkai decided he'd enough of Naraku's scheme and would, for once and for all, take care of him. Ah-Un watching over Rin, as the Sesshōmaru stepped out of the cave.

"I'm coming along." She decided, noticing that both men gave her almost identical annoyed looks. Rin seemed blissfully oblivious to them and curled up against Ah-Un. "Naraku has a large part of the Shikon jewel and I and my sister are supposed to restore it."

"You won't survive the miasma," Jaken cried outraged.

"Can you handle it?" She asked annoyed, glaring up at Sesshōmaru's too-perfect-face.

"Hn,"

"Than I am sure, I can too."

 **I-I. ⌡. Γ┐**

Naraku had been expecting Sesshōmaru. His eyes momentarily widened when he noticed her paddling up behind him, unaffected by the miasma or the poisonous gas. She peered at the Hanyō's form, noticing the Shikon jewel gleaming above his chest and frowned. His humanoid body was gone and in the place was a grotesque body, made of parts from all kinds of yōkai. His face, though, remained unchanged and he smirked haughtily.

Sesshōmaru drew Tōkijin, appeared before Naraku in the blink of an eye and brought the sword down, blasting the hanyō apart. The hoard of yōkai circling around the castle-shrine seemed surprisingly unaffected by that and Naraku's body shattered over the ground.

At first, nothing happened. Then the flesh and bones began to slither around, crackling together and the flesh began to join itself back together. The ripple of something dark and ominous ran through him as if he hadn't just been hit by Tōkajin's evil aura and suddenly he stood again, in a very cocky way. He was unmistakably alive, dark scarlet eyes swivelled, staring at his opponent and for a moment she felt afraid.

Sesshōmaru didn't share her worries and struck the foul Hanyō again. Chiharu watched Sesshōmaru, as formidable as ever, fight. His pristine kimono whipped in the air, perfectly in tune with his moments. He moved gracefully, showing no signs of tiring and although Naraku's usual horde of yōkai had appeared, remained unfazed.

He lived up to his name well.

She wished she could say it was a surprise when Naraku went for her. He callously used the love his enemies held for their comrades as his greatest weapon against them, so it was a move she'd come to expect from him. Even now, she suspected he didn't know what had happened to her. To him, she was still a human Miko, who was perhaps just what faster than the average. She snorted when a tentacle came her way and dodged it with ease.

Sesshōmaru snarled, suddenly appearing in the centre of the hoard of yōkai, previously surging towards him and with a flick of his wrist, slashed through them. She flinched when parts, bloody and slimy fell down, striking her arm and with a pinched up face, she tried to dislodge it. She darted around the clearing, careful not to step in yōkai-bits, when suddenly a sharp pain shot up her leg. One of Naraku's tentacle's had cut fiercely into her leg and blood trickled out, thickly, from beneath her fingers.  
Falling hard to the damp ground she clutched her calf and hissed. Sesshōmaru appeared from behind her and she gasped when he hurriedly grabbed her by the back of her haori, hoisting her up to his shoulder — she was growing rather tired of his shoulder — before flying in the air. The flesh wound on her calf was already knitting back together, yet, blood still rushed down her leg, darkening the front of his kosode and Chiharu wildly wondered if her failure annoyed him.

Grinding her teeth together she peered over his shoulder. The throng of yōkai was so thick, Chiharu couldn't see Naraku at all. Sesshōmaru dropped her unceremoniously down behind a boulder before resuming battle.

Her reiki surged, uncomfortable heat caressing her skin and instead of the brilliant light it pulsated a darkish blue. Rather, it pulsed within her blood, like a liquid fire and as a new hoard of yōkai neared her, the heat shot out from her, engulfing her body in bright blue light. It was blinding, and combined with the dormant youki lethal. The scent of cooked meat entered the air and flesh sizzled as it dissolved by the agitated reiki.

The palace shrine Naraku had lured them to collapsed in on itself and the slimy pieces of his army, of his own mismatched body, lay scattered over the ground like gory confetti. His miasma was evaporating with holy power and the yōkai were dissolving, as if her reiki was the strongest acid, leaving no trace of them.

Naraku's eyes had widened. Red eyes bored firmly into hers and for the first time, his full attention was on her. Her power still pulsed dangerously through her veins, tingling, heady and powerful. Naraku's creepers did near her, but with so much purifying energy around her, they disintegrated before even coming close to her.

With a snarl, the Naraku took to the air, his poisonous air quickly clearing in the face of so much holy power and she noticed her powers starting to eat at his arms and face as well. Jaken, wherever he'd hidden before, came up next to her. His dark green had paled to an almost grey and he was blinking sluggishly. He wasn't being disintegrated, but she suspected he was affected. Despite the scent of burnt flesh thick around her, Chiharu still recognised Inuyasha's scent suddenly closing in.

She felt weak, spent and dizzy, like all the energy her had been drained from her body. From her peripheral vision, she noticed his red haori and silver hair coming her way and as her legs gave out beneath her, she felt an arm wrap around her. She let herself collapse against him and her.

"What did you do to her?"

Sesshōmaru's rude snort almost sounded funny to her ears. "I didn't do anything, little brother. She used up all the energy her body produced."

"Fuck!" Inuyasha snapped, "How the fuck did she do this?"

"This girl—" Sesshōmaru's voice was thoughtful. "This Miko is far more powerful than I'd initially suspected."

Chiharu wasn't sure if she was supposed to hear that last comment and could no longer hold on to consciousness. She was almost glad when someone fully picked her up from the floor and tucked her into the crook of his arms. The darkness enveloping her like a warm bath was not unexpected at all.

 _To be continued..._

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 **A/N: I suppose Sesshōmaru would do anything to fight any lingering feelings he has for a simple human girl. He's definitely still a jerk...**

 **Anyway, it seemed like something Kagura would do. Conspire with the enemy to get rid of Naraku. I think Naraku wouldn't have known about Chiharu's powers, so it seemed plausible for Kagura to use that against him. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter.**

 **Next update on upcoming Thursday^^**


	24. Chapter 23, Poisonous gas

**A/N: Enjoy this new installment!^^**

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 **o.O.o**

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 _ **Chapter Twenty-Three, Poisonous gas**_

 **S** he woke up to the memory of melted, sizzling yōkai hide and the scent of roasted meat. It was a rather disturbing thing to wake up to and she slowly opened her eyes to a blurry world. When her vision cleared a bit, she watched sunlight streaming in through the entrance of a cave. There was a fire crackling and she sighed wistfully, almost dropping immediately back to sleep, in her warm cosy sleeping bag. She turned onto her side, the tatami mat crisping from under her and she sat up so fast her vision blurred again.

Sesshōmaru watched the girl, her reiki prickling against his senses as she peered around. Her holy energy swirled around her skin, fully recuperate from the earlier drainage. If anything the immense swell of her reiki would indicate she'd only been using a part of her power and now, more aware of them, they swirled around her. Still, as usual, she seemed blissfully unaware of them.

She gazed at him, eyes widening and she got up to her feet. The fur of his mokomoko ruffled by the irritated look she shot him and he felt rather amused. He cocked his head to the side, giving her a lazy smile, allowing the slight amusement to show on his face.

"Sesshōmaru?" Chiharu wasn't sure why she'd come to expect Inuyasha instead of his older brother. Her eyebrows narrowed. "Why am I here?"

A wicked smile curved the man's lips, gaze fixed on the little Mikō and he took a step towards her. "Is that your way of thanking someone who only tried to help you"

She flushed, crossing her arms over her chest. She recognised when she was being pushed and leaned her back against the hard wall of the cave. "Where is Inuyasha?"

"Returned to your comrades' side."

"Why am I not returned to my comrades' side?" She asked slowly. She had played her part. What more did he want from her?

He didn't answer, simply staring at her. Chiharu averted her gaze, peering at the crackling fire. Rin nor Jaken where there and she wondered what had happened to them. Her mouth twisted back into a tight thin line and she dug her nails into her forearms.

"Why can't you just answer a question when asked?" She asked him tiredly.

"Look at me," The Daiyōkai demanded softly.

She ignored him, refusing to meet his gaze. She could almost feel his irritation at that before gripping her chin between his clawed fingers and pushing her face up. "You will not speak to me that way." He told her clearly and Chiharu glared at his face before he released her chin and stepped back.

"We will depart when the sun is on the highest point of the zenith."

"Right," she mumbled and watched the towering Inu-yōkai walk away.

Late winter moved into spring with a change of weather. The rainy days made way for longer sunnier, yet the summer heat had yet to arrive. She turned sixteen, yet around Sesshōmaru, there was barely a reason to celebrate. Rin had grown healthier the last few days, yet Chiharu was too far away from her friends and sister to travel back safely.

Rin was a very active girl. She did everything with maximum effort and there seemed to be no limits to her energy and she felt almost sorry for Jaken as Sesshōmaru's green retainer slumped down against a tree every night with a heavy sigh. The Daiyōkai left them alone most of the time and during her fourth day with Sesshōmaru's party, she took Rin to the village nearby.

She was very bubbly and Chiharu felt her jaws ground together when the scent of the humans entered her nostrils. Curling her toes into the wooden sandals Sesshōmaru had gifted her with, she listened absentmindedly to Rin as she chatted about marketplaces and how she had never really been there before. She was wearing a blueish yukata with a yellow bird and flower print. It was pretty, expensive even, but it wasn't ideal when running or fighting. Of course, she hadn't made a comment on it. She could vividly imagine Sesshōmaru raising an eyebrow and telling her that it was either complying without a comment or running around in her 'under-garments'. She chose the latter.

"Chiharu-sama?"

"What is it Rin-chan?" She asked slowly, feeling the wind lifting her hair. Sunlight fell onto the village, the sandy ground beneath her feet slightly warm from the sun's touch and she wanders towards the centre of the market.

"Can I have a Nashi?"

"Sure thing," Chiharu answered, following after the small child. She couldn't really remember since she last had a Nashi. It must have been long ago.

As they mingle with the other humans Chiharu pressed the hem of her sleeve against her nose. The unwashed human scent more unbearable than she would have liked to admit. A middle-aged Miko gave her a suspicious look and Chiharu tried hiding the youki in her system. She quickly shot behind a stall, but the woman had already stopped paying attention to her. Fingers played with her sleeves and Chiharu curiously looked around at the stalls. A greased old woman was selling small mandarin oranges and another sold several different vegetables.

"Chiharu-sama?" Rin suddenly called out, holding a yellow kimono with a simple flowery pattern up. "What do you think of this?"

"It looks very nice, Rin-chan?"

"Rin is going to ask Sesshōmaru-sama if Rin can have it when Rin's kimono becomes too small."

"Rin-chan, when we speak about ourselves, we usually don't refer to one's self by our name, but as 'I' or 'me'." Chiharu answered. "For example, I am going to ask Sesshōmaru-sama, when my kimono becomes too small."

"Yes, Chiharu-sama." Rin nodded happily and Chiharu felt the material from the yellow kimono between thumb and index finger.

She draws in a sharp, bracing breath when suddenly the smell of blood met her nostrils. On itself, the smell of blood was nothing to be worried about as small amounts were normal, but suddenly a scream tore through the clearing. The attack came suddenly. One moment everyone was busily crossing the market and the other the stench of burning flesh and screams filtered in. The clash of iron on iron echoed through the marketplace and Rin yelped.

"Get behind me!" Chiharu yelled, pulling the small child behind her.

Chaos erupted all around them. Villagers screamed and a green acid suddenly started over the ground, like fog spreading around and covering the ground with a strange gas. With her enchanted metabolism, Chiharu was reasonably sure she would not be endangered, but Rin being a human being would be in danger. She felt her reiki stir and she bit down on her lower lip. Hard.

"Rin!" she gasped. "Rin, honey, I need you to run!"

"I don't—"

Chiharu turned around swiftly and crouched down before her. "Rin-chan, no buts! I need you to run to the forest. Go find Jaken and stay there. Do you understand?"

The small child nodded and tore away. Chiharu turned towards the sounds of the fighting humans. The green acid was spreading rapidly and several humans fell forward. She watched in disgust as a young woman dropped down to her knees, a circular knife slashing across her wrist as she fell and the scent of blood became even stronger.

She prepared to depart, unable to fight a gas when suddenly her eyes fell on an elderly man. His face reminded her of that of the grumpy cat. Large eyes, bulbous and large, yet, his hose was flat and his mouth wide. A jewel shard twinkles at the base of his neck and Chiharu stilled.

His eyes fell on hers and they widen. She imagines it is because she's human and still standing in the middle of an acid gas attack. The man, jewel shard or not, didn't look to be a yōkai and his wide mouth stretched even further into a dainty grin.

"Ah, hello, pretty one."

Chiharu felt her skin crawl by the way he looked her up and down. She had never really got the slashing Inuyasha had tried teaching her down and without a weapon, she was at a disadvantage. Still, a human shouldn't be that much of a problem to her, should he?

"Why?" She asked slowly, the humans who had been happily going about their daily lives had all been killed. He ignored her question taking a step closer towards her.

"The Shikon Miko, are you not? Ka-go-me?"

Chiharu raised her eyebrows. He was mistaking her for her sister. More importantly, he knew what her sister looked like. From her peripheral vision, she noticed a bow and arrows scattered around the fallen elderly Miko. The man was still waiting for an answer and she shrugged non-committal.

"It very much depends on what you want." She told him lightly.

"You're still standing." He commented cooly, but his tensed stance made it obvious he was rather troubled by that.

"How very perceptive of you."

She clamped her jaws together, unable to stop herself from goading him. Sesshōmaru was starting to rub off on her and the man glowered. His hands straightening his white clothes, he pulled out something that looked like a drum and released a new gas. It was more potent, Chiharu presumed as it prickled her sensitive nose and although it was a cowardly move, she scrabbled frantically feeling something acid scorch the skin of the back of her hand. It was unpleasant and the skin turned an irritated red, but the healing quantities in her blood somehow neutralised whatever agent was in there.

With a speed that still amazed her, she kicked up a loose pebble and threw it at his had with all her might. It hit him straight in the forehead and although she didn't think the gas was lethal to her, the potent smell was making her feel loopy. Not really wanting to test her luck, she made for the trees on the outskirts of the town. When she passed the fallen Miko she made a wild dash to her weapons. The man followed and Chiharu felt a surge of irritation run through her. The smell of the incense was making her lightheaded and as she took another step back she realised her movements were starting to get sluggish. Her reiki surged and the youki that nowadays lay dormant spiked.

Youki, was like the strongest most potent rush of adrenaline through her system and Chiharu gasped. Yet, as she drew the bow tight, when suddenly the man was hit from behind. Large eyes widened almost comically and he fell forward. Sesshōmaru stood tall behind him, peering down at the small man with a small frown.

"What," The man whispered, trying to get up to his knees, as blood welled up from the five parallel cuts on his back. "Who the fuck are you?"

Sesshōmaru didn't answer, his eyes flitted around the massacre, staying on her for a few seconds before flitting back towards the fallen man.

"You dare touch what is mine?"

In any other circumstance, she would have bristled at his words, but she didn't even think he realised what his words really meant. His eyes were cold his demonic aura brushed against hers. The man, as stupid as he looked seemed to have realised that a yōkai of Sesshōmaru's calibre was not something to mess with and slowly moved away.

"Who are you?"

Sesshōmaru cocked his head to the sight. " _What_ are you?"

The man bristled at that. "So, you bastard, without knowing who I am, you fucking take me lightly. Take this!" he snarled releasing a new acid gas. Sesshōmaru was briefly enveloped in the toxic poison, but other than the trees dissolving, the Daiyōkai was unaffected.

"How?"

"A mere human's poison won't affect me." He sneered before tearing the man's arm off. More blood welled up from the stump and just then Chiharu realised there was something off of his scent. He didn't smell like other humans did, but more like Inuyasha's ex-girlfriend, the dead priestess Kikyo.

The Daiyōkai's red-rimmed golden eyes regarded him impassively. "Why don't you perish?"

"His neck," Chiharu said, the paralyzation was already wearing off. His youki surging through her system recognised the Daiyōkai and it left a strange tingling sensation running up and down her spine. "He has a Shikon shard in his neck."

"Hn,"

With another flick of his wrist, the man was cut into halve. The flesh and muscle dissolved away and left only his bones surrounded by blood. Carefully Chiharu inched forward and picked the shard up from the remains. The Reiki in her bloodstream tinted it a bright pink and she carefully added it to the shards she was still holding onto.

"What were you doing here, Miko?"

"Visiting the market," she answered her eyes narrowing when she recognised the katana Totōsai created for her. "Why do you have that?"

He followed her gaze to the sword but didn't respond. Now that she thought about it, she could also detect the faint scent of Inuyasha clinging to him. Her face drained of colour and Chiharu swallowed. "What happened?"

"I satisfied my curiosity."

"What curiosity?" She asked annoyed, glaring at the three swords now hanging from his hip. "You went to see your brother? Why not take me along? You gave me your word you would let me return to my sister and my friends!"

"The half-breed is just that! A half-breed." He muttered, before passing her.

Chiharu frowned, twisting the straps of the quiver with arrows between her fingers. Back when Tetsusaiga had been broken Sesshōmaru came in pursuit of his Tōkijin. Back then, Chiharu had believed he had been holding back. Fighting without any real thought to kill. The furrow between her eyebrows deepened. "Did you go to find out about Inuyasha's transformations?"

He peered at her over his shoulder and she sucked her cheeks between her teeth. Of course, he would not answer.

"Hn,"

She pursed her lips in thought. "And, to use your own words, what does it mean? 'The half-breed is just that'?"

The Daiyōkai stopped walking. "He's not becoming a full-blooded yōkai."

"Of course not," Chiharu answered. "In the end, his human side won't just disappear."

"Hn, with repeated exposure, little Miko, he will eventually lose his soul. He'll make sure to keep on fighting until he'll die."

Between the clustered huts and the wooden fence she slowly followed after him. Her mouth had gone dry. "Is that what's going to happen to me too?" She slowly whispered. The words escaped her without her consent and as he suddenly halted, she felt her cheeks warm up.

He turned around slowly and his eyes bore into hers. She couldn't identify the look he gave her then. It was different from the ones he normally bestowed upon her and she wondered, not for the first time, what he was thinking. He peered at her from across the muddy street and Chiharu nervously sucked her lower lip between her incisors.

"You won't." He answered and Chiharu cocked her head to the side. She didn't see the difference even if the mating mark was complete, she still had her human side. She doubted it could stand up to his Youki anymore then Inuyasha's human blood could stand up to that of his father.

He looked at her worried face and sighed. "You won't because of your holy powers." He admitted slowly. It seemed admitting that she had some worth pained him.

"I didn't know holy powers did that." She muttered apathetically.

"Not necessarily." He answered, already starting to turn away. "But it seems your Miko powers aren't as pathetic as one would initially think."

The wind rustled softly through the trees and she sighed. She frowned at her hands and listened to his footballs beating against the forest floor. He always had to insult someone one way or the other. It annoyed her, yet, there was no use in going against him. If she did, there was only more chance she would end up dead or— sired. She had no real understanding of that word, but she imagined 'wanting to please' him, would an adequate description.

Snorting at the ridiculousness of the situation she started after him. In his own demon-like way, he was gallant. Gallant enough at least to come for her when she was in trouble. It was rather humiliating that she had been affected by some strange poison while Naraku's miasma didn't affect her at all. Or perhaps it was just the sensitivity of her nose, she still wasn't all that used to, either way, he had once again got her out of a messy situation. Chewing her cheek between her molars she contemplated how he would receive her gratitude. He probably couldn't care less and—

"Miko,"

She slowly looked up again. He was holding her katana and she frowned. "This Sesshōmaru has no need of it."

She slowly accepted it with a soft exhale and he was about to turn away again. "Thank you,"

"Hn,"

"Sesshōmaru?"

He didn't answer, but she knew he was listening. Cocking her head to the side she slowly started her way through the trees. "You do know my name is Chiharu, right?"

He inclined his head ever so slightly before responding: "You are a Miko, are you not?"

"You are a yōkai, but I call you by your name, don't I?"

Unless you are an arsehole than I call you different names, but most of the time not to your face. She thought dryly. Sesshōmaru peered over his shoulder, eyes thoughtful.

"Hn," He started walking again, flicking a stray lock of silver-white hair over his shoulder.

She stared after him uncertainly. His 'Hn's' where both a positive as a negative affirmative, so she wasn't entirely sure what he meant with it now. With a sigh, she blew a strand of hair out of her face and traced the binds on the handle of her katana. She was glad she had it back again.

The sun perished in a slow descent, sinking beneath the Western horizon. Slowly a darkened sky started down the lands from the East. When they stepped into the clearing where the camp was set up and a fire was cracking merely. Sesshōmaru dropped down at the edge of a rock, amber eyes sweeping over their campsite and Chiharu slowly pushed the sword between the band of her obi and her yukata. Rin looked up at her with wide, bright eyes.

"Chiharu-sama, are you all right?"

For a moment she was at a loss, her eyes flitting over the soft pink flush that dusted her nose and cheeks. Then she remembered the bloody screams and the empty eyes staring up at the sky. "Oh, I'm fine, Rin-chan."

The child smiled up at her, in a way Sōta smiled up at her whenever she would pick him up from school a few years back. Her fingers itch and her lips thin as she thought about her brother. She missed her family. Slowly she sat down next to the small girl, wincing slightly when she sat down on the ends of her loose hair. The few days lengthened into a few weeks. Rin had lost her cold two weeks ago and although she truly liked the girl she had enjoyed travelling with her sister and her friends.

Chiharu made up Rin's bedding and watched the child drift off asleep. Just like Shippō and Sōta, Rin slept like the dead. Once she drifted off, the girl wouldn't wake up to anything short of dropping off of Ah-Un whenever Sesshōmaru refused to stop at night to make camp. For some reason, he had been trying to find the Hanyō Naraku as well.

She wasn't entirely sure why Sesshōmaru insisted she'd stay with him. She had always thought he hated her. She peered at his face again. His amber eyes gazed into the far distance and she wondered. Obviously, the mark on her neck made him more territorial of her than he should, his exclamation that afternoon made that obvious, but she didn't understand why he was so reluctant to let her return to his brother. It was almost as if he was jealous.

She sighed, annoyed once again. Her fingers playing with the sash of her obi. She swallowed past the dryness in her throat and peered at the fire. The man, not unlike Kikyō with his scent had been off. When he looked at her he'd been expecting her sister and not her. Wrapping her arms around her knees, she clutched her fingers at her sleeves.

"I need to see my sister."

"Your sister?" He asked slowly.

"The barely clothed one." She quoted dryly and she noticed the corners of his lips curl up.

"Yes, right." He nodded.

"That _man_ expected her and not me." Chiharu slowly explained. "I don't really know how, but Naraku doesn't really understand what I am…"

"He doesn't?"

"He considers me human and not a threat." She answered, unsure if he still thought her to be just a human after her display of power the last time she'd seen him.

"You are hardly a threat." He told her dryly. She glowered at him and he slowly, gracefully got up to his feet. "You are brash and over-zealous. You, Miko Chiharu, are untrained."

"You're right," she admitted slowly, meeting his gaze dead-on. "I am untrained, I react on instinct and when I actually win from an enemy, luck is a large factor. You can't expect someone to become some mythical warrior overnight, but I do try."

"Hn, yes, that you do." He admitted. "My brother and his companions are at the edge of the Eastern forest near Mount Hakurei."

She smiled, nodding at him before crouching down beside Rin, who was wondrously peering up at her through heavy-lidded eyes and ran her fingers through her hair. Pushing her fringe out of her face Chiharu smiled.

"I'll see you soon, all right honey?"

Rin nodded in understanding sluggishly asking if, when they'd see each other again, Chiharu would bring little Shippō. Chiharu hid her smile when Jaken nodded his head fervently and she peered at Sesshōmaru again. Shippō, who'd Rin had never met, was a child, probably roughly her mental age and that meant a playdate.

She slowly got up to her feet, peering up at Sesshōmaru. "I'll keep you informed of Naraku's whereabouts."

Sesshōmaru snorted and Chiharu fingered the katana at her hip before bounding off into the forest. She wasn't sure why he allowed her to have it, and she probably would not find out, but she was glad she did either way. At least she could try and learn to protect herself…

 _To be continued…_

 **A/N: And we meet Mukotsu from the Shichinintai (Band of Seven). This was a pure fit of genius. I almost forgot they would be a part of the story too, but don't expect to retell the whole Band of Seven storyline. Still, I will use it although certain events might be changed (who am I kidding, they will certainly be changed).**

 **Please leave a review. Let me know your thoughts:)**

 **InuYasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi**


	25. Chapter 24, Suikotsu

**A/N: Enjoy this chapter. I'm terribly sorry for the lateness of this chapter and it is a bit shorter than I'm used to. For some reason, this chapter took a lot of trouble, but the next chapter will be faster. That one is actually almost done.**

 **Inuyasha does not belong to me!**

 **Please leave a review!**

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 **o.O.o**

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 _ **Chapter Twenty-Four, Suikotsu**_

 _'The truth may hurt for a little while, but a lie hurts forever.' —_

 **T** he pine trees had straight trunks, with needly branches reaching up high above ground. Spiky, broken-off branches littered the floor below. The reddish streaks on the Western horizon signalled the rapid approach of dusk soon and long shadows stretched across the path as the sun sank lower and lower. Chiharu edged around them, looking for firewood. Inuyasha and Miroku were _searching_ for dinner and Kagome was setting up camp together with Shippō. They had followed two Shikon Shards all the way through the Western lands and back to Mount Hakurei again. Legend had it that Monk Hakushin had attempted to reach Nirvana by becoming a living Buddha as he died. Yet, instead of dying and becoming a living Buddha a strong holy shield was erected around the mountain. Chiharu was unsure what the monk had thought to accomplish, but it made for a handy protection. Nor Inuyasha nor Kikyo, who seemed to swerve around the mountain as well, could pass the shield. Even Chiharu, whose holy powers clung to her in protection felt the slight buzz of the holy power when she came too close.

Still, when full-yōkai tried to pass through, the barrier purified them. The closer the yōkai, like Shippō and Kirara got, the more physical pain they felt. Even Miroku, granted he was a lecher, was affected by the barrier, making him feel nauseous. The members of the Shichinintai could move through the barrier. They had only met a few of the resurrected humans, but Chiharu felt confident to say that they were lethal and very unpleasant. When she found her friends and sister they were battling two men, Renkotsu, who apparently had pretended to be a monk and the cross-dressing Jakotsu. The latter had engaged in a very strange form of flirting with Inuyasha and Chiharu liked it immensely to tease the Hanyō with it.

Chiharu smiled to herself and added another branch to her basket. It had been a chilly grey spring day, with dark clouds gathering above their camp. According to Miroku, they would keep it dry until morning. Thereby, it was too far traveling to a village in the dark and with the resurrected humans and their Shikon shards, there were many dangerous creatures in the woods. Chiharu wasn't really worried about the latter. Although, it had taken some adapting, she was reasonable confident in her powers. She had progressed nicely with her archery and Inuyasha and Sango — Miroku had tried, but Miroku couldn't keep his hands to himself — had taught her the basics of swordfighting and hand-to-hand combat. She could defend herself and that meant for Inuyasha one person less to worry about during a fight.

They had little trace to follow since the evil Hanyō had disappeared, barely clinging to life. Lesser demon still stalked them for the shards and with the members of the Shichinintai on the loose life was not peaceful. They might not have been yōkai, yet, their ruthlessness made up for it.

The leaves danced to an unheard beat, whispering a silent song in the wind. The high trees sheltered her from the light of the dying sun and the path opened out just ahead and Chiharu readjusted the straps of her quiver. Her breath hitched in her throat and a thrill of something she couldn't name slipped between the notches of her spine. The scent of blood, met her nostrils and she frowned. She froze, her feet suddenly glued to the deep brown with leaf-skeletons covered forest floor when she recognised the bloody scent of Kōga the Wolf yōkai. What was he doing?

In the distance thin whips of smoke rose to the sky and she squinted. Dropping the basket with dry branches to the muddy ground she inhaled, about to follow the trail. Something was burning, like an explosion had taken place. She jumped up into an gnarled elm tree, leaning crookedly out over the murky stream. It's roots were half-exposed by bank erosion and she inhaled.

She stopped when the scent of death suddenly filled her nostrils. Her hand gripped around the katana, now dutifully at her hip and inhaled deeply again. She was alone and although she did really think she could defend herself that didn't mean it was wise to follow the scent of death and get into trouble. Then again, she couldn't really leave Kōga to his fate. A root jabbed her like an angry finger and she almost slipped down between the roots. The hems of her hakama were soaked and her brows furrowed. The scent of death was closer and although she smelled blood, she could also sense Inuyasha approaching.

The scent of the death was closer and slowly, she adjusted the straps of her quiver and checked her bowstring before following the scent. Her shoulders relaxed when she recognised Kikyō's Shindamashū. The long, serpent-like creatures twisted through the air and pursed her lips. The resurrected Miko seemed to be alone not too far from her.

Chiharu had never been able to keep her curiosity at bay. With a curious frown, she followed Kikyō's scent and tracked into a denser part of the forest. She was sitting atop a rock near the edge of a lazy little creek. The Shindamashū coiled around her, dropping souls which Kikyō merged with. In a way the souls of the death were her only nourishment and Chiharu watched with morbid fascination as the Miko prone form glowed.

"Hello, Chiharu,"

She flinched slightly and wrung her hands together. The older Miko slowly turned her face towards her and Chiharu smiled tightly. This was not a member of the Shichinintai.

"Hello Kikyō-san,"

Chiharu was unsure if the woman welcomed her presence and she really shouldn't linger when her friends were in danger. Kikyō was very difficult to read and Chiharu tightened her hold on her basket. The older woman moved almost languidly. Chiharu wasn't even sure when she had gotten to her feet.

"My Doppelgänger's sister," she whispered, circling around her like a crow. Chiharu was unsure why she was the Doppelgänger's sister. In a way Chiharu thought she was a Doppelgänger to Kikyō as well. Even if her eyes were different.

"The Daiyōkai's mate," she continued and Chiharu felt her cheeks warm.

"I'm not his mate,"

"You're not?"

Kikyō didn't look as if she believed that and Chiharu felt the muscles in her cheeks tense. Another serpent-like creature passed by, a cold almost snake like tail rubbed over the back of her hand and Chiharu almost flinched.

"How is Inuyasha?"

"Why don't you ask him yourself?" She asked slowly. She truly did not understand exactly in what kind of relationship they were now.

"I roam the land of the living on borrowed time," she answered curtly, "Inuyasha does not have my limitations."

"You don't want to drag him to hell?"

She smiled tightly and then shook her head. Kagome would probably be pleased she didn't really have to worry about the competition the other Miko presented anymore. That said, Chiharu was unsure if that meant Inuyasha would ever stop loving his ex-girlfriend. He was rather fond of her and Chiharu thought she felt bad. Despite the circumstances both had been in the prime of their lives when tragedy had struck and while Inuyasha was frozen in time, Kikyō had died.

"You might want to come," she whispered suddenly and Chiharu frowned.

"To where?"

Kikyō didn't answer.

As they travelled through the forest, Chiharu reluctantly following behind Kikyō, she sensed the two Shikon shards, even though she felt the first signs of Mount Hakurei's kekkai pressing down on her. Her youki swirled and her reiki surged. Kikyō's breathing was becoming more and more laboured yet, she quickened her pace. The trees grew spare and Chiharu tried to catch up to the deceased wife. The sky was quickly starting to darken and she tried to push herself faster. The mount's kekkai was starting to make her feel nauseous.

Before long they stepped out of the short scrubby grass and onto the stone she'd seen so often on and around the hills. Perhaps, it might The mountain rose into the dark of the night, a craggy grey mountain steeping higher than Chiharu had ever seen. The wind blew harshly, tousling her hair and as Kikyō staggered, she quickened her pace and grabbed the other girl around her upper arm.

"You shouldn't," she whispered urgently. And moreover, she shouldn't either.

"I have to—" Kikyō wheezed and Chiharu stared off in the distance. The Shikon shards were winking at her from the distance and the wind suddenly turned, bent off on the high rocks and her eyes widened.

"Sesshōmaru,"

"Yes," Kikyō nodded, "Inuyasha's elder brother is here."

Chiharu felt a flash of uneasy fear stab through her when she smelled the scent of his blood. Arcs of light shot up in the air and Chiharu watched in stunned awe when the appeared Daiyōkai in the sky as an avenging angel of death. Although, his moves seemed less fast, he still fought with an almost ethereal light under the washing moon. His white kimono was pristine, and wherever the blood had come from he seemed unharmed. As usual, Chiharu was entranced by his fighting style. Like always he was perfectly in control and showed no signs of tiring, continuing to fight in his elegant way.

Chiharu couldn't understand how he could stand it. Even with her reiki, which poignantly surged through her veins, she felt woozy. Kikyō, by now leaning heavily on her hard-wooden bow, exhaled and started to move again. She was unsure why Sesshōmaru was waisting all of this time fighting a human. She'd thought he would think they were beneath him.

"Pest," Sesshōmaru snarled and with a draw of Tokijin a wave of energy narrowly missed one of the reanimated corpses. Chiharu had met him once before. Crossdresser Jakotsu needed a moment to gather his bearings and Chiharu found her fingers curl around one of her arrows, drawing the string of bow tout and aiming for the Shikon shard in Jakotsu's neck. The movement froze when suddenly she noticed the second man, crouched on the rocky floor.

Disgust and horror sapped the blood from her face. Rin was pinned to the rocky ground and the man, obviously a member of the Shichinintai held weird bone claws, extending from his knuckles to the back of her neck. She recognised Sesshōmaru's Tokijin protruding from the man's chest and Sesshōmaru right hand was deeply lodged in Jakotsu's chest. His snake-sword arched around Sesshōmaru's person.

Rin's small body struggled against the hold the other man, she'd never seen before, had on her and the small child cried out.

"Rin-chan!"

"Yes," Kikyō whispered.

Chiharu was normally very fast, but her speed seemed to have disappeared. The kekkai had stopped affecting her and in turn her youki had faded as well. Kikyō was faster. Chiharu had never seen a human draw back a bow so fast and suddenly she was aiming an arrow and releasing it, just as the man in the purple armour brought his claws down. The arrow whistled through the air and precisely lodged itself in the man's neck. The dark glow of the Shikon shard purified immediately. Chiharu herself did not have such an aim and a new-found respect settled over her.

"Suikotsu," she started and Chiharu deducted that that was the man's name, "your Shikon fragment's light was polluted black. You can no longer be permitted to live."

Chiharu watched with wide eyes as the older Miko crouched down beside the man and Rin stumbled on hands and knees before staggering towards her. Small hands fisted in the hem of her haori and she pressed her cheek against Chiharu's hip. The young Miko gripped the child's shoulders tightly, crouching down and picked her up.

"You're okay now," Chiharu whispered, rocking the seven-year-old as if she was a small child.

"I was so scared," the child whispered.

"I've got you,"

Kikyō stared stoically at the man laying beside her, yet, when the man requested for her to yank the arrow loose from his neck. Chiharu didn't understand. Why did she still hesitate? Sesshōmaru appeared behind her, his chest pressed lightly against her back and she stiffened. She could feel his strong heartbeat and a warm flush spread out over her cheeks.

"Miko,"

"Hello, Sesshōmaru," she greeted softly and Rin's arms tightened around her neck, "it's lovely seeing you again."

 _To be continued…_


	26. Chapter 25, When the truth speaks

**A/N: And here is the new chapter. From here on, the story might trade in M territory, but I'm not sure how graphic a story has to get before it would be categorized as M (if someone does, please enlighten me!). Either way, I think a warning would be good. Believe me when I say this is likely the only warning (because I'm going to forget to put it there when we get to a chapter where its needed) you're going to get. I don't think it will be to graphic, but there will be mentioning and** **descriptions of (consensual) sexual activities. This will not necessarily be Chiharu's sex-life, but could be about Miroku' and Sango's or even Kagome's. You have been warned!**

 **Anyway enjoy!**

 **Please leave a review!**

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 **o.O.o**

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 _ **Chapter Twenty-five, When the truth speaks, lies are being judged**_

 **W** hen Chiharu awoke the sun was shining fully into her face. The air was cool and dew had settled in tiny beads on the leaves of grass and on the long trashes of her hair. She lay still for a few minutes, enjoying the pleasant sunshine, and she felt almost human in that moment. The youki that had faded inside her bloodstream when she'd been under Mount Hakurei's kekkai, was once again, surging potently through her veins. She blinked groggily against the harsh morning light.

She was laying in the entrance of a cave, her body still sheltered from the weather and close enough to feel the sun on her face. The cave lay some way above the forest path they'd followed the day before to set up camp for the night. It was just on the outskirt of a forest not too far from Mount Hakurei. The trees near the entrance of the cave stood gnarled and with fresh leaves, clustered of foliage, together. The breeze ruffled the leaves and the grass and she slowly sat up on her haunches.

Rin had been out like a light the moment she sat down next to Ah-Un and Jaken, somewhat dizzy and zapped out of energy had dropped down onto his stomach and had not moved again. Sesshōmaru, who had been the only one harmed, had gazed at her with his unfathomable amber eyes and then told her to stay put before disappearing. When he came back his scent was slightly off and she realised with growing mortification that he had found himself a female to spent a large part of the night with. She was not exactly jealous but she certainly wanted to leave as soon as possible.

She risked a quick glance up at the Daiyōkai's face. The sunlight was slightly falling on his face, accentuating the purple stripes on his cheeks and the crescent moon on his forehead. His eyes were closed and his face looked relaxed but she noticed his ears twitch ever so often. He was clad in just his kosode and his hakama, his armour and haori left with Jaken to clean and polish.

Yawning, she stretched her arms above her head and popped the joints of her hands. The land they'd set up camp on was near a cold spring and she groggily got up to her feet. Rin was still fast asleep, curled up against Ah-Un's side and Sesshōmaru sat propped up against the rough wall of the cave. She soundlessly — or as soundless as she could — moved out of the cave, her toes twitching when wet grass rubbed past her ankles.

Morning in the Sengoku period always made for a stunning visual and she stared over large expanse of forest and green foliage. The endless sky was painted a bright blue with warm sunlight falling onto the ground. Setting her things on top of a lone boulder, and stared at the lazy little brook. She felt him staring at her and she slowly, cheeks flushing red, crouched down at the muddy bank, washing her face in the chilly spring. Unfortunately, the brook was nowhere deep enough for her to really wash herself, yet it was deep enough to scoop the water into her hands and rub at her reddened cheeks.

When she'd cleaned her face, neck and hands, she started the process of untangling her thick dark hair. She wished she still had her hairbrush but she'd lost that during a rather gruesome battle with a boar-yōkai almost two months ago. Chiharu raked her fingers through her hair, until it was in a somewhat semblance of order. With a small sigh, she pushed it up into a high ponytail.

Long shadows fell over the clearance she was in and the trees around her boarded several flocks of birds, twittering happily. The grass was knee-high and growing among the low-lying bushes were all kinds of small berries. After gathering several on a white handkerchief (she actually managed to not lose that during a fight), she popped a simple yellow toothbrush into her mouth and cleaned her teeth. Sesshōmaru's eyes widened slightly and his nose twitched when the scent of mint drifted into the air.

"What is that, Miko?"

"Soap for your teeth," she told him dryly. He had stepped out of the cave and his long silver hair flowed in the wind.

"Hm,"

Chiharu slowly started to deposit her stuff back in her knapsack and peered around the clearance. Flowers, little poppies and yellow buttercups winked at the sun. She still felt Sesshōmaru's eyes on the back of her head and she nervously ran her fingers over her ankles and thought about what to do. She wanted to say something to him, but had no idea where to start. The awkward silence that always seemed to stretch between them pressed heavily on her shoulders. She had never met someone so detached from the world or aloof of his so-called-none-existent emotions.

She didn't particularly like the female scent that hung around Sesshōmaru and realised with less than a small bit of mortification, she was feeling jealous. Whatever for, she didn't know. He was an arsehole. Even with the shaky, unspoken truce they had, he never refrained from acting like a douchebag and he still had those 'I'm-better-than-though' notions.

He stepped up next to her and she offered him the handkerchief filled with berries. "This is for Rin. Good morning, by the way,"

He took it slowly eyes seeking out hers and she looked away. Her cheeks felt hot and her an unnamed emotion gnawed at her stomach. "Your scent is troubled."

"I just want to go home,"she whispered softly and Sesshōmaru's keen ears twitched.

"Home…"

The air left her lungs in a sharp whoosh and she slowly strapped her quiver to her shoulder, her katana to her hip and rubbed her hands together. His staring was making her nervous.

"Why are you still staring at my face?"

"What are you doing?" He asked her coldly.

"Getting ready to leave," she explained, hoisting her knapsack over her shoulder, "I'm sure my sister would be worried."

She doubted Inuyasha would have been much better. He saw her as the back-up shard detector and, although he didn't show her often, she knew he cared. She inhaled slowly, trying to find a trace of Inuyasha, but he wasn't close. She estimated he was half a day travelling away.

"Rin," Sesshōmaru curtly started, "go with Jaken and freshen up at the spring. Do not go into the water."

"Yes, My Lord," she chirped happily. Chiharu hadn't even realised when she'd gotten up from her spot near Ah-Un. She smiled up brilliantly at Chiharu and she was impressed by the resiliency the child had on going through such dark situations.

"Bye Chiharu-Onee-chan," Rin greeted happily.

"Good bye, Honey," she smiled.

"Where will you go, MiLord?" Jaken asked, yellow bulbous eyes peering up at them. Chiharu frowned and crossed her arms over her chest. He was not going to drop her off. If he wanted to push his brother buttons, she didn't want to be the reason for it.

"MiLord?" Jaken asked slowly. She'd always thought his voice was slightly grating and she slowly inched away.

"Good bye, Rin-chan," Chiharu whispered, hugging the child to her chest. "Please keep your Lord here."

"Chiharu-Sama?"

"I want to travel by myself and I don't want to bother your Lord either."

Rin looked up with large brown eyes and cocked her head to the side. "Jaken-sama says you're Sesshōmaru's— erm Mate? Like his wife? Shouldn't he be with you all the time?"

She would have thrown her sandal to Sesshōmaru's green retainer, if he hadn't been standing behind a very annoyed-looking Sesshōmaru. "Jaken!"

"Yes, MiLord, right away, MiLord." He yelped and scurried away, instructing Rin and Ah-Un closer to the riverbank. Chiharu had never understood the unwavering devotion the small yōkai had for the Daiyōkai, but she supposed it came in handy at times. Right now, however, she thought him to be extremely irritating.

"Miko,"

"Yes?"

"I will return you to your friends," he told her in an urbane voice and she frowned. He usually didn't bother with aiding her more than necessary.

"It's quite all right. I'm sure I could find them on myself." She was quick to say. She didn't really want to him to escort her anywhere.

"It wasn't a suggestion Miko."

"Right, of course," she whispered more to herself than to him and glared at him. "Why?"

He took a step towards her. "I do not own you an explanation."

"Yes, well, I do not think you should come." She snapped back. "Considering your need to rile Inuyasha up and all. Don't you have something _else_ to do?" She continued, making a show of sniffing the air around him. "Or more accurately, _someone_ else?"

The corners of his lips turned up and his left hand curled around her shoulder. She found herself at least thirty metres away from the clearing and pressed up against the rough bark of an old elm tree. His face was only centimetres away from hers.

Whatever or whoever I do," he started crudely and she winced, "is none of your concern.

"I beg to differ, but of course, we do not often agree."

She wanted to continue that they never agreed on anything but his hand clasped around her throat and her eyes widened. Her breathing hitched before her muscle memory kicked in. She grasped his wrist with one hand and punched his upper arm just above the elbow with the other. His fingers loosened and she proceeded at jumping up, catching herself on a branch and kicking him as hard as she could. He stumbled back and she allowed a small smile of victory to graze her lips. She might not be in his league when it came to fighting, but she wasn't some damsel in distress either.

"Why do you always resort to violence when we disagree?" She hissed dropping back onto the ground and inched away from the tree and further into the forest. "I can find Inuyasha by myself and you know it. What's with you trying to _escort_ me?"

"You are mine and I can do whatever—"

"Oh no!" She snapped angrily. The splashing sounds from the spring and the childish laughter was slightly distracting her. "Don't you dare. I'm not yours. I've never been yours, and I will never be yours. You have no right to claim anyone to be yours if you go philandering about anyway either!"

He was on her again, using his super speed, caught both her wrist in one hand and used the other to grab her knee and pull it up along his hip, rather effectively immobilising her. He seemed not to realise that, in not trying to kill her, he had immobilised himself as well. Although, that thought did little to soothe her hurt ego and her irritated mind.

"Let go!" She ordered angrily and he looked at the heavens before looking at her again. It was the closest thing to rolling ones eyes she'd ever seen him do.

"Listen here, and listen carefully, because your mind doesn't seem to be able to grasp the simplest of words. I can do whatever I like. If I wish to go on— philandering, I will do so. I do not need your blessing, Little Miko, nor do I seek it."

"Yes, perfectly fine, but don't go around expecting me to want to be tied to you!"

"You're a female, don't the man in your race hold the superior hand as well," he asked rhetorically and she felt her cheeks heat up in anger. Of course, she understood this was a different time where arranged marriages were still a thing, but that didn't mean she had to agree with them.

"I don't care, this was hardly an arrangement even my family agreed with." She hissed and wriggled against him, trying to dislodge her wrists or her leg, both would do. He tensed, his grip on her knee tightened. She yanked at her wrists again and he responded at pushing his hips against hers. She gasped, suddenly aware of the unmistakable rigidity pressed into her abdomen.

"I advise you not to do that," he hissed through clenched teeth and she felt a flush spread up from her neck to her face.

Her body did not react like it did the last time, so she suspected it was not something he did on purpose. It made her face only heat up more. She met his eyes and she nodded curtly, to mortified to speak. Of course, in a clinical point of view she understood what had happened. His body reacted to the friction she had created. It was a normal thing that could happen to a man, but Sesshōmaru always acted so aloof and stoic, that she just hadn't expected it from him.

He slowly stepped back from her and she wrapped her arms around her abdomen. She quickly turned around, hands curling around her upper arms. She moved as fast as she could, grazing creatures, cows and sheep, regarded her with mild curious eyes and she smiled. He followed. His strong arm wrapped around her waist and she felt her feet slip away, the grass disappearing from beneath her feet and for a second she fell backwards and then they were up in the air. A bright light enveloped both of them and he ascended quickly in the air. Glancing over her shoulder, her hair swirling around her in a tousled mess. She looked in Sesshōmaru's face his pupils were dilated. She didn't dare to move too much again.

The flight was extremely awkward. He held her to his side, the fur he wore on his shoulder acting like a pedestal and she didn't speak. After nearly ten minutes of awkward silence and passing the greenery, Sesshōmaru started to circle around the tall copse of several pine trees.

His slender nostrils flared and he started to descend slowly, almost as if he tried to announce his appearance. She sensed Inuyasha a moment later and he landed in the middle of their campsite. Kagome squealed happily when she noticed her younger sister appear and both Sango and Miroku gasped in surprise at the sudden appearance of the Lord of the West and the Miko girl they'd grown fond of. Kōga the Wolf prince was present to, curled up a strange mountain of straw and Inuyasha almost fell from the high branch he had been sitting in.

"Chiharu-chan," Sango whispered and Sesshōmaru slowly lowered her to the ground.

"Put her down you bastard!" Inuyasha cried, which was somewhat useless as the Daiyōkai had already dropped her to the ground.

"Inuyasha,"

"What are you doing here, Arsehole?" He snarled and Chiharu quickly moved away. Inuyasha jumped down next to her, looking her over like a trained doctor might do to his patient. It was a rather strange sensation. His hand hovered at her chin and his eyes narrowed. She hadn't realised there was blood from an already healed gash from where she'd hit the bark of the tree fifteen minutes ago.

"You—"

"About to violate this bond again?" Sesshōmaru asked and Inuyasha frowned. Chiharu's head snapped up and she met his eyes. He seemed furious.

"Violate—"

"Human habits," the Daiyōkai muttered, his head slowly cocking to the side, "if it isn't your human form it's the blood."

Inuyasha flushed, but Chiharu didn't think he understood the implication yet. Her eyes widened and her finger spasmed around her grip of her bow. This wasn't fair. She peeked at Kagome's face, but her eyebrows were drawn and her lips pursed as if she wasn't understanding what was going on.

"With so much alcohol—"

"I you and my brother cannot hold your liquor, you shouldn't partake into it." He told her stiffly and she felt her cheeks flush even more.

"You are not always in control of your actions, now are you?" She asked angrily and she saw his lips turn up into a furious smile.

"Is that how you justify kissing my half-brother, Chi-haru?" He asked her coldly and she felt the blood sap from her face. Inuyasha squeaked, Shippō frowned and both Sango, Miroku's and Kagome's eyes went wide,

A flush travelled up from Inuyasha neck until he'd turned scarlet. Even Miroku and Sango, who normally at least pretended not to hear what was being said, were staring open-mouthed as the Inu-siblings circled each other.

"You arsehole,"

Sesshōmaru only smiled, his hand on his Tōkijin. He was nowhere near adequately dressed for a battle, but he seemed to itch for a fight. Yet, it never came. Kagome awoke from her stupor, her cheeks flushing and her eyes brightening in anger. Across the camp, the Houshi and the Tajija exchanged knowing looks of concern and Chiharu flinched when Kagome's voice cried out over the clearing.

"Osuwari!"

For miles around birds took wing, shaken from the branches and their perches and Inuyasha slammed into the dirt. The ground shook and Chiharu peeked at her sister's enraged face and Sesshōmaru took to the air. She wanted to wring the Daiyōaki's neck, but as her sister stalked towards her, she realised she had bigger problems to deal with.

"Onee-chan, really, it wasn't like that. You must believe me!"

"Well, why don't you explain, Chiharu-chan."

And explaining she did…

 _To be continued..._

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 **A/N: I hope you enjoyed the new chapter. I enjoyed writing this chapter. Sesshōmaru is in his own special way rather jealous, but Chiharu is not much better. Next update will be on Thursday!**


	27. Chapter 26, Obsessed

**A/N: And here is chapter twenty-six. I was so honored for all the lovely reviews! All of them made my day(s) and I will, of course, respond to all of your comments and questions. As to one of my guest's comments, I cannot reply to you by PM, like I** **usually do, so I will do it here. Thank you for my comment and rest assured, Chiharu is angry with Sesshōmaru. She is not planning to just roll over and show him her soft underbelly. She's furious.  
I do want to make one thing clear. Both Chiharu and Sesshōmaru are fully in their rights to find someone else. Except for the bond, they have no real relationship to speak of and any jealousy any of them might feel is not warranted. Either way, Sesshōmaru's rather petty reaction will not mean the end for their very difficult gathering. It just, like I might have mentioned(:O), takes a while. **

**I estimate this story will have forty chapters. I will admit they will come together before that though. Anyway enjoy this new, although slightly shorter, chapter.**

 **Inuyasha belongs not to me!**

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o.O.o

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 _ **Chapter Twenty-Six, Obsessed**_

Thick malevolent clouds curled together above his head and the wind was chill against his skin. He was becoming obsessed. He knew it was the logical explanation as he peered through the thick branches high up amidst the foliage. The girl was deeply asleep, as was his Hanyō brother. How the boy could be so careless and not stand guard when he and his companions made camp in the more dangerous parts of the Northern Forest was beyond him.

The resurrected humans who called themselves the Shichinintai were far away. The three men left had fled after a rather massive fight (which broke out just as he'd left the Miko and her sister to reconsile). They had escaped into the depths of Mount Hakurei and for that the yōkai (or part yōkai) could not follow.

Whatever Naruku was planing, he was certainly difficult to track down this way. Sesshōmaru had long ago understood that he used the barrier around St Hakurei to stay out of his (and begrudgingly Inuyasha's) reach. It annoyed Sesshōmaru more than liked to admit.

Yet, Naraku was only Sesshōmaru's first priority. Inuyasha did not— could not— see Naraku and his minions. Inuyasha and the Miko's sister hadn't been on speaking terms (courtesy of Sesshōmaru) and they had moved away from the sacred mountain to investigate stories of a Yōkai that influenced women living on the marshlands.  
A foolish thing to do, as far as Sesshōmaru was concerned. He did not see why his brother's group involved themselves in other people's business so much. His Miko, who had an unnatural amount of patience for everyone except for him, was rather crafty. She and the Hōshi where the ones finding out it was Naraku's evil Jaki that revived the Salamander-yōkai from a painting.

She was killed by Inuyasha using his Wind Scar.

The Miko and her sister still didn't talk to each other. Inuyasha seemed to have enough sense to stay out of their way most of the time. That or his barely-dressed female would use her demeaning command to 'sit' him. It happened far more often after the loud-mouthed little chit found out about a discretion even he could see had been nothing more but a stupid, ill-overthought decision. His Miko was certainly transparent enough to be obvious about any attraction she might have felt towards his Half-brother.

At least that had been obvious when he dropped the metaphorical bomb.

He peered back at his Miko again. She had eased on her side, knees drawn up and cheek leaning on her upper arm. She seemed to be comfortable and her neck was exposed. A part of him wanted to see if her pale flesh was still as soft as it looked. His initial plan to stay away from her had failed brilliantly. He was inexplicably drawn to the blaze in her eyes.

At first it had been the same blaze which made him torn between annoyance and approval. His claws had more than one itched to dismember her limb for limb, and yet, every time he had restrained his murderous urges. Because he had been slightly curious what she would do with her life. He wanted to know if his power would make a stronger Hanyō. Of course, she wasn't exactly like a Hanyō, but in his vision it still counted.

Truth to be told, he hadn't really expected to be drawn in by a human.

The campsite his brother had found was well secluded and a safe distance away from the yōkai invested northern border. Yet, that didn't mean it was safe enough for Inuyasha to doze off on the guarding job. He might not have any interest in the Shikon shards the Miko carried, several other, lesser yōkai did. The girl stretched onto her back and her eyelids fluttered. There was something about her that had started to appeal to him. Perhaps it was the motherly way she acted around the kit. Then again, all three women acted motherly over the small fox boy.

It couldn't solely been that.

It certainty hadn't been her surprised face, when his dark aura had brushed against the shimmering bluish reiki that surrounded her. She was a novice. He could tell immediately when her reiki didn't respond to his youki that she was indeed a novice. And she was clean. Definitely a new one.

He hadn't really bothered with her back then.

The girl (in that aspect the Miko sister's were similar) refused to let him intimidate her simply because he had a problem with her opinion. She was wrong about that though. He didn't care about her opinions. He didn't care at all.

Yet, he was fascinated. Her ability to focus and control her reiki and later combined with his youki had strengthened and he caught himself watching her more and more. He started to summon her with increasing regularity. He awaited her scent, warm and pleasing, and listened to her voice as she talked and laughed. He caught himself gazing at her, amber eyes tracing the pale flesh of the column of her neck and following the delicate contours of her face.

 _I cannot become—_

The Miko stirred, her eyelids fluttering again and he watched as she slowly sat up straight and brushed her dark hair out of her face. Inuyasha's white ears twitched and Sesshōmaru watched the way his golden eyes began their usual perusal of the girl. He observed his brother carefully. He had seen desire in the boy's golden orbs before, but that was not what he saw now. Sesshōmaru supposed he saw the girl as nothing more than a friend.

"What are you—"

"I need to find a bathroom." She mumbled, her cheeks reddening and her mouth pressing in an embarrassed line. His half-brother waved his hand as if to say; 'well, go ahead, get your arse moving' and she slung a quiver and bow over her shoulder.

"Don't go off too far," he warned her and straightened. Apparently he was aware that it was not wise for him to sleep on the job. As she moved down the path, Sesshōmaru cracked his knuckles and followed her. She wasn't aware of him yet. He watched the girl make her way towards a lazy stream near a grove of lemon trees. She crouched down on the stony bank, washed her wrists in whatever ritual it was for and drank deeply.

She had tamed her hair up into a high pony tail and her shoulders had locked together. His eyes were drawn to the elegant curve of her neck and massaged her fingers over her neck. Sesshōmaru pushed his silver hair over his shoulder.

"I know your there, you know?" She suddenly whispered and Sesshōmaru felt his eyes widen.

He hadn't meant for her to sense him, but he stepped out of the shadows anyway. "Miko,"

Her eyes were far more hostile than usual and he felt the fur of his mokomoko stand on end. The reiki normally so dormant in her system, swelled and made his skin tingle. She was not best pleased to see him and she crossed her arms over her chest.

"What are you doing here?" She asked him, scowling dat him. "Didn't you do enough?"

"Your sister is a rather jealous creature." He remarked, knowing that it would anger her. He was somewhat impressed she didn't bite.

"Yes," she answered stiffly, "I know more jealous creatures. I'm looking at one right now."

"You think this Sesshōmaru was jealous?" He asked her lowly, quirking a haughty pale brow. Her scowl deepened.

"You act like it. I don't think you have any reason to."

He cocked his head to the side. He felt the beginnings of anger call at him. "I do not have to explain myself to you, Miko."

She grunted, her right foot beginning to tap impatiently. No longer a novice, his little Miko had more than once proven that she was worthy in combat. The girl certainly was not on his level of skill, but he shouldn't expect any female to be at his level.

"Of course you don't." She replied sarcastically. "You do not have to explain yourself you me, but you have no reason and no place to tell on my secrets either."

"This one was under the impression you wanted honesty in your relationship."

She sniffed. "You are an arrogant—" she fell silent for a moment as if searching for a word to describe him and then deflated. "Why am I even trying?"

"Hn,"

She shook her head in what must have been exasperation and he felt his eyes narrow. "It's just exhausting. I'm always arguing with you and I'm always trying to explain things to you, but you just—"

"I just?" He asked, his voice sounding a bit amused. He was not.

"You really don't care for any other living being, than you will always be alone." She whispered, the glow of holy energy around her fade. "I can't do this anymore. I don't really know what you want from me. I suppose it is just some misplaced feeling of ownership you feel, but I can't do this anymore."

"You cannot—"

"I can't," she muttered, twisting the end of her hair around her fingers. With a resolute huff, she turned away from the stream and slumped down on a moggy log to sit on. Wriggling her toes in her sandals she clasped her hands together in her lap. "Whatever there was between us, it's over."

 **I-I. ⌡. Γ┐**

Chiharu had noticed _him_ almost the moment she woke up. She had stirred awake from a stiffness unique to having lain in one position for too long. The fire was still alive and the pan she'd used to heat some water lay next to the charred stones. She'd felt _his_ eyes on her and had not been sure what she should do. At first, she wanted to turn over onto her stomach and try to fall asleep again — ignoring him altogether — but as his eyes remained fixed on her, she started to feel cramped and uncomfortable in her tight sleeping bag. How long would Sesshōmaru keep watching her.

In the end, she thought it was wiser to just venture away from their campsite. She didn't want Inuyasha to have kittens. She certainly didn't want the Daiyōkai to push his buttons and have Kagome sit Inuyasha to the other end of the world. Crouching down by the river, she thought about what she should say and in the end she decided to just go with the flow.

She felt the suffocating force of his power press against her form from all angles. It never failed to make her tingle and feel frightened. Her own power rose to the surface in answer, but it never seemed to deter him. He thought he could do whatever he wanted. Well, as far as she was concerned his power did not entitle him to be an arsehole to everyone.

More importantly, she didn't want him to lord over her anymore. The fact that she had started to feel unconsciously attracted to him, had bypassed her. It had only hit her when she'd noticed the scent of another woman on him and she'd realised that what they had, a shared link and a weird attraction, was not enough. She would always remain a human at heart and she couldn't stand his cold aloof ways.

"Whatever there was between us, it's over." She decided finally. She watched his eyes flicker in recognition. He understood the meaning flawlessly and her fingers curled tightly into the mossy bark of the log she was sitting on.

"Over."

"Yes," she nodded, "you were right before. I have no right to ask explanations on your whereabouts, but you do have no right to stick your nose in my business either."

"You think you can order me around?"

"I can decide to not want anything else to do with you." She snapped annoyed. "This mark is merely an inconvenience for the both of us. That's the reason why you are drawn to me and I suppose it is why I've been so tolerant with your whims."

It was not the right thing to say. She probably should have let him make the decision. When pushed right, he might have done it. Now, his golden eyes narrowed and he rounded on her, snatching her left wrist in a steely grasp and pulled her close. "No one tells me what to do."

"Are you saying that I cannot decide for myself if I want you around me or not?"

"It does not matter what _you_ want." He snapped.

"So you want me then?" She asked annoyed. "You want this human female, who you have called unworthy or have called similar terms on more than one occasion, to be yours?"

"If I were to wish that you would have no choice than to honour it."

She snorted rudely. His youki expanded, his hand tightening around her wrist, but for once, she would not back down. "Well then. Are you planning on fucking me?" She asked coldly and she felt a stab of satisfaction run through her when his eyes widened at her crude words. Inuyasha's choice of speech was rubbing of on her.

"Is that what you want?"

"Since when do you care what I want? I just want some clarity."

He stepped back, his hand falling away from her wrist. "I have no interest in your body."

"Great," she told him sweetly, "than that matter is settled."

He leveled her with a penetrating stare and she swept her hair over her shoulder. She didn't even think he was aware of his curiosity towards her person. The mark, a link between to living creatures, alerting one to the other's existence. She didn't think he held any sort of real interest in her, but the mark drew him in. She shook her head to clear her mind and stalked away from him. Sesshōmaru watched her go with a frown, but she didn't look back.

He could simply return to whatever woman he was seeing. She wouldn't stop him…

 _To be continued…_


	28. Chapter 27, Feelings

**A/N: First of all, thank you all for your continuing support. All of your comments and people who follow and favorite this story make me so happy! It gets me into the writing rush every single time!**

 **The new chapter. I'm sorry this is late. Except from being sick (the flue, it was horrible), I had problems with logging in onto Fanfiction, not entirely sure why though, but it's here. The chapters have been a bit short, but if I include the next part of the story this chapter would be much too long (I don't think people would mind so much).**

 **Anyway enjoy!**

 **Please leave a review!**

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 **o.O.o**

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 _ **Chapter Twenty-Seven, Feelings**_

 **B** lack clouds sprawled across the sky, billowing in from the North and bringing the brassy glare of drains. Whimpering pitifully through clattering teeth, the small group of shards hunters moved quickly through the stinging rain. Everyone was soaked and even Kagome's umbrella had been little help. It had taken one good gust of wind for it to be rendered completely useless and Kagome's face had turned thunderous. Although, Chiharu certainly didn't like the way her hair plastered to her face or how her feet slugged away in the mud, yet, she enjoyed the heavy, dark and heady scent of the rain.

A low crackle of thunder, rolling across the tall copse of trees and for a moment Chiharu froze, staring at the sky. She counts the seconds it takes before another flash is visible and then counts the seconds for the crackle of thunder again.

"Guys," she started quickening her pace and stepping up next to Inuyasha. "We have to find shelter. Running around in a forest will only stack the odds at getting hit by lightning."

The pale-haired Hanyō glared frostily at her and Chiharu sighed. She answered his glare with a cold, annoyed look and Inuyasha averted his gaze after a few seconds. As if Kami himself agreed with her, a loud boom rolled across the valley and the earth shook. The bought of trees swayed in the wind the downpour of rain intensified. Rain lashed against them like bullets, stinging her bare skin and running across her cheeks in down her throat. It made the mark on the side of her neck sting in an irritated way.

"Inuyasha?"

"Yes, all right, lets find shelter." He snapped. "I get it. There is a village nearby."

He turned to Mirōku, who was fully engrossed at staring at Sango's behind and had absolutely not been listening to the conversation. "Oi Bozu, there is a village less than a mile away. You think you can do your trick."

At the prospect of shelter (and possible women), Mirōku's sour face lightened up and he nodded. "Why of course, Inuyasha. I'm after all a simple Monk and—"

"Yeah, whatever Mirōku." Inuyasha interrupted and he steered them down a small muddy path towards a clearing. As they crested the hill before them, they watched out over a valley. Starting down the valley, ignoring the growling thunder, they passed the large grid of rice paddies. Chiharu heard Kagome take in a sharp breath when the huts and the larger houses, clustered together, came into view.

"Thank Kami," Sango whispered and Chiharu smiled up at her, "Good job, Chiharu-chan."

"Thank you," she answered happily, swatting at a long lock of hair plastering against her cheek. The village huts grew larger and larger and Chiharu grinned in earnest now, sharing Sango's excitement. The trees began to thin and the light was changing, yet the gloominess of the rain remained. They quickened their pace, trees behind had already turned into vague dark smudges in the haze.

"I'm so glad to sleep with an actual roof over our heads." Sango whispered and Chiharu nodded. She felt exhausted and although that had little to do with physical exhaustion and more to do with emotional exhaustion, she felt like a good night's sleep might do wonders.

She carefully peeked at Kagome's face. It had been almost two weeks since Chiharu's older sister found out about the kiss and things between them had been strained. Kagome watched every interaction between her and Inuyasha like a hawk and wouldn't listen to any of their explanations that it had meant nothing. Of course, Inuyasha's explanations hadn't been all that helpful explaining in his usual gruff manner that Chiharu wasn't Kikyō, so Kagome had nothing to worry about (that sentence got him sat multiple times). Either way, the act had put a strain on their usually so carefree relationship and Inuyasha — who had been essentially at fault — had started to close himself off. Apparently, sitting him for everything didn't earn Kagome points and she felt bad that she might have been the catalyst that destroyed their relationship.

As they neared an elderly man, who, from the way he was dressed, appeared to be the town's head approached them warily. Chiharu felt a prickle at the edges of her senses and she felt a muscle in her cheek tense. Ever since she had told Sesshōmaru off, he had fallen back on his super-stalker mode. He was not heard (not seen either), but she sensed him either way. She didn't really think he was doing so much to keep the tendrils of his youki a secret and she shivered when it brushed against her magical essence.

"Are you all right, Chiharu-chan?" Sango asked while Mirōku started to explain why he thought it was wise to let them stay.

Chiharu smiled watery. "I'm fine."

 _'I'm just noticing Stalker-Sesshōmaru staring at me…'_

It took Mirōku a small ten minutes convincing the town's head to let them stay as guests in exchange for ofuda's of good fortune. Chiharu had never understood how he always managed to secure the largest house for them to stay in, but after another ten minutes they were all settled on the wooden floor of one of the larger houses with a small fire crackling in the middle.

Chiharu slowly settled before the hearth and rubbed her hands over her shins. Her pale skin was almost blue from the cold and her hands twitched from the bone-chilling temperature induced by the shower of rain.

"That escalated quickly," Kagome remarked, teeth clattering. The sleeveless tank-top and the short school skirt not very adequate against the heavy rainfall. Her scarlet push-up bra Chiharu hadn't known she owned was visible through the thin, rain-soaked fabric. Mirōku's eyes kept darting to her breasts.

"Yes," Chiharu nodded, shaking her head, trying to dislodge the excess of water clinging to its ends. "Mirōku, keep your eyes to yourself."

The monk at least had the decency to look ashamed, but his eyes kept returning to Kagome's twin-peaks, until she crossed her arms over her chest. Inuyasha is too annoyed to realise their predicament and as he shrugged out of his Haori, the elderly man came to fetch Mirōku.

Chiharu tried to focus on the sound of the rain, pelting down on the roof. Shippō babbled happily about his crayons and Kagome stole a peak at Inuyasha. She seemed to think the red bra was something she had over him. He furiously ignored her.

Outside a gust of wind rustled through the towering fields of long grass and scuttled through the leaves of the trees. The rain continued to pelt down on the muddy earth and Kagome glared at her. As if his disintrest was her fault as well.

Perhaps it is.

She stared out of the small, smudged window. The dark shape of Mirōku's form was out there performing a dubious exorcism and Kagome quietly started to tend to dinner. She settled a pan with water over the fire with a harsh frown and from the looks of it she was cooking ramen. They usually ate Ramen and Chiharu internally grimaced. Even though, Chiharu had never disliked the dish, but she was getting rather sick of it. It made her stomach roll in disgust.

Dinner passed by without much talking. Chiharu shovelled her dinner down and afterwards moved to the other end of the room, starting to go through the process of polishing her katana. Tōtōsai had explained — more like demanded — that polishing his sword should be a daily routine. Unless, and his large eyes had glared at Inuyasha who seemed to have enough sense to keep his mouth shut, she wanted the sword to break down.

She rubbed the rather obnoxious smelling wax into the flat of the blade and glared when Inuyasha dumped Tetsusaiga at her lap as well. "Don't go to easy on the second layer."

She gave him a half-hearted glare but never really told him off. She didn't mind doing it and had already done it so often, it wasn't like it took long. Kagome sat near the fire, combing her fingers through Shippō's hair. The poor child didn't really understand what was going on. He had come to accept that when Kagome and Inuyasha quarrelled it was usually Inuyasha's fault — which Chiharu didn't think was all that fair — but with Chiharu thrown in the mix, he had no idea what he should do or say.

She sighed, wiped her hands off on a bluish cloth and stuffed her waxing materials away. Rain splattered off loudly against the roof and she peeked through the window. The rice paddies were barely visible and the sky had turned so black it looked like someone had opened an ink bottle and spilled it into the sky. She breathed in sharply and closed her eyes. The damp, night air was strong and the sound of the pitter-patter outside settled her nerves a bit. She listened as her companions went through the motions of getting ready to bed and watched them when they fell asleep.

All but Inuyasha.

His amber eyes glowed slightly in the darkness and he met her gaze from the other side of the room. Chiharu gave a sideway glance at the peaceful features of their companions and raised an eyebrow in silent question when Inuyasha's gaze remained fixed to her face.

"Is something the matter?"

He snorted gruffly and she pursed her lips. "Inuyasha?"

"How long before Kagome accepts nothing really happened?" He asked, more like demanded and she ran her tongue across her teeth.

"I don't know."

"You're her sister—"

"Well, you fight far more often with her than I do."

He sneered at her and she slowly got up and tiptoed towards him. "Honestly, Inuyasha. She's upset. Just give her some space."

"I'm sick and tired of giving her space."

"What do you mean?" She asked him hurriedly.

"You told Sesshōmaru you couldn't do it anymore." He told her and she felt her mouth slack open.

"You followed me?"

He nodded sheepishly and cocked her head to the side. "Yes, of course I followed you. Usually you two fight like cat and dog. My arsehole brother isn't exactly known for his patience with humans. Either way, besides the point, you told him you couldn't do this anymore and I understood. The Bastard is unreasonable at every turn and you grew sick of it and I just— I just understood."

She was unsure when Inuyasha had grown up. He had always been so boyish. He reacted on every insult and exploded on the smallest sparks, igniting his temper. Yet, right now, he only looked very tired. "I'm not entirely sure—"

"You told him you couldn't do it anymore and you and he weren't even courting. I'll admit nor were Kagome and I, but when you said it I realised something…"

She didn't like where this was going and felt her spine stiffen. "What do you—"

"I cannot be with someone who constantly abuses a power she was given over me when I lost control." He decided coldly.

"You got this all from me telling your crazy half-brother off?" She asked him exasperated. "I mean. He's not like my sister…"

"No, of course not, you dimwit." He hissed back. "But it made me realise that what I feel and what I want to feel is not the same."

"You don't love her?"

"I do," he nodded, his cheeks reddening and he shot her a look that told her without words he would definitely harm her, if she were to tell her sister about this, "but I wouldn't have if she hadn't looked like Kikyō."

"That's a horrible—"

"Oh shut up." He snapped back. "You know I'm right. You've always known what I want and feel. That's why you are such an annoying little—"

"I'm almost jealous of Kagome's ability to sit you six feet under." She interrupted him dryly. He glared at her and Chiharu eased in a more comfortable position. Curling her arms around her knees and leaning her chin on her forearms. She watched from the window as the their footprints in the mud were washed away by the unrelenting downpour. Yet, in the distance clouds had dispersed, revealing the soft moonlight and a dark endless horizon studded with stars.

"What is it what you really want?" She finally asked when Inuyasha remained silent. "I might understand a lot, but I can't read your mind."

"I don't think I can do this anymore." He told her oddly serious and she gaped at him, not immediately understanding the meaning of his words.

"But she loves you—" Chiharu started, unsure of what she could say but Inuyasha shook his head. His amber eyes remained fixed on Kagome's sleeping form. They momentarily sat in silence and Chiharu picked at a loose thread in her hakama. Sagging against the wall, she chewed on her lower lip. It didn't take long before Inuyasha got restless again and got slowly to his feet. She stared up at him with wide eyes and he met her gaze unwavering.

"I sometimes wish that I met you first."

He left her sitting there with wide eyes and her shoulders locked together. She wasn't really sure what he meant with that. No, that was a lie. She had understood that Inuyasha, who never had many friends and people he could trust, had latched onto Kagome who was always selflessly nice to everyone. And now, that he had gotten used to all those people surrounding him, he'd grown tired of the girl. She wanted to believe that, but she knew it wasn't. Had he finally grown tired of the arguments? Finally grown tired of the sitting? She felt horrified. Was this her fault?

She didn't sleep that night.

 _To be continued..._

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 **A/N: Next update upcoming Thursday. Stay tuned**

 **If you enjoy Harry Potter OC stories check out my new story Sins and Roses. I'll start uploading that story upcoming Monday. And for those who about my other stories** **(I've got a few questions about it)** **:**

 **\- Crimson Peak: will be continued upcoming Wednesday  
\- Silver Lining will be resumed and renewed at the beginning of May  
\- Misplaced: I've got a writers block. I'm completely stuck how to go on T.T  
\- Through My father's eyes: in the process of being fixed from bugs. I expect to be able to continue at the end of April.**


	29. Chapter 28, Research

**A/N: Like always I absolutely love your reviews! So thank you so much! ^.^**

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 **o.O.o**

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 _ **Chapter Twenty-Seven, Research**_

 _'Sic semper tyrannis' — was said to be said by Marcus Junius Brutus (unconfirmed)_

 **C** hiharu woke early to find the morning quiet and warm. Her curtains fluttered in the soft morning breeze and in the distance she heard the awakening sounds of rush hours. With a yawn, she slipped out of bed and slowly went downstairs, the stairs creaking softly under her feet. As she stepped into the kitchen her face was immediately scalded with the bright light of the sun and she squinted. The Higurashi kitchen was warm en bright with beautiful vanilla colours and a reasonable new counter. Mrs Higurashi looked up from her cutting board and smiled.

"Good morning," Mama greeted and she stepped into the kitchen.

"Morning," Chiharu smiled up at her mother and moved towards coffee machine, refiling the water and letting her fingertips emerge in the cool liquid. She and her sister would be staying home for a few days to do research about the Shichinitai. There were seven of them and they all apparently loved to kill, resurrected by Naraku with shards of the jewel. Mirōku suspected Naraku was weakened by the fight he had with Inuyasha and Sesshōmaru — apparently, the notorious Hanyō had, in his haste to escape, ran straight into Inuyasha who'd tried to blast him into oblivion — and needed the Shichinitai to provide as a distraction.

And a distraction they were—

They'd met Bankotsu, the youngest of the seven men, yet the leader. He was tall with thick and inky black hair, neatly braided behind his back and had a strange blue marking in the middle of his forehead. He wore a white and blue patterned armour and looked slim and toned. She found him to be some sort of an enigma. With a sigh, Chiharu filled the sink with cold water and splashed water on her face.

He didn't look much older then Chiharu herself was, yet he fought as a mercenary. Chiharu shook her head and rubbed a soft cotton towel over her face. Just as his companions he had the shine of a jewel shard just below his Adam's apple. It was rather scary how she even thought him to be somewhat handsome, while his personality was even worse than Sesshōmaru's. After almost being blown up by a resurrected human — who looked more like a machine — Chiharu had decided they needed to do some research. They bloody well had the advantage of the knowledge of the past in libraries and even on the slow working computers at their home and even at school. They should use it.

"Do you fancy a cup of coffee?" She asked inserting the water tank and pushed a button on the coffeemaker.

"All right, what do you want?" her mother retorted, taking out a pan of the cabinet. It looked and smelled like Miso.

"I was wondering, Kagome-nee-san and I want to go and do some research, but the library is on the other side of town, and if you could give us a lift?"

Her mother frowned and Chiharu placed the coffee grounds into the paper filter. She listened absentmindedly to the boiling water dripping slowly into the coffee pot and leaned on the counter. Her mother was still frowning, her mouth moving without making a sound probably seeing how much time she'd had.

"I can drop you off at the southern metro station."

"Hm, then it's still a twenty-minute walk," Chiharu mumbled softly and her mother grinned sheepishly. "Are you sure—"

"Quit while you're ahead, little sister." Kagome grinned also stepping into the kitchen.

"Good morning to you too," Chiharu huffed, taking her mother's favourite mug and carefully poured the hot coffee into it. "Coffee?"

"No, thank you," Kagome answered, making a face. "I don't like that stuff."

Chiharu shrugged before preparing herself some oatmeal and peered at the calendar hanging on the fridge. A bright warm picture of a sunny landscape with pale flowers peered back and she sighed. They looked similar to the scenery of Sengoku jidai, but she knew that the beautiful green fields reaching forever to the horizon and the clean scent was by now solely reserved for the past.

She ate her breakfast in silence listening absentmindedly as her sister explained about the past and about the new foes they'd just met. With gasping breath and wide eyes, Kagome explained about a man — dressed and acted much like a woman — who was in command of the Snake Sword had almost murdered them when Chiharu had practically shot the man straight out of the tree.

"I've never been so happy by the return of my little sister." Kagome breathed out. "And then—"

"The return?" Their mother asked, a frown marrying her eyebrows. "Where were you then, Chiharu-chan?"

Chiharu pursed her lips, wondering what was the best way to say she'd been _accompanying_ Sesshōmaru, but Kagome beat her to it. "Chiharu-chan temporarily travelled with Sesshōmaru."

"Sesshōmaru…"

"Inuyasha's brother."

"The one who hurt you?" Her mother asked aghast and Chiharu shot her sister a murderous look.

"Technically, but in all fairness, practically everyone who joined our group tried to murder us first," Chiharu said, leaning her chin in her hand. "It's basically a rule if you want to join the club."

"The club?" her mother asked, somewhat amused and Chiharu nodded.

"Yes, club meetings are on Thursday evening."

"He's an arsehole mama," Kagome decided, twiddling her chopsticks between her fingers.

"Language, Kagome-chan."

"Really, mama! He practically thinks he owns her. Walked in on us when we were bathing a few weeks ago and all but kidnapped her."

Her mother's expression turned serious again and Chiharu fought the impulse to whack her sister on her head down. "Chiharu-chan, did he— did he touch you…"

"Oh God no," Chiharu shook her head, feeling her face reddening. He had of course, but she definitely was not going to tell her that. "Don't worry mama, he didn't. He isn't really the kind to— do that…"

She wasn't convinced, Chiharu could tell, but let the subject drop. Kagome picked at her breakfast, shooting her younger sister a look before peering at their mother again. "Inuyasha thinks he just tries to bait him by investing into Chiharu-chan."

"Why, thank you." Chiharu drawled annoyed and Kagome shrugged.

"Personally I think their dysfunctional relationship is just that. Dysfunctional. Sesshōmaru fancies himself lord and master of her."

"Don't start with me on dysfunctional relationships, Onee-chan…" Chiharu threatened quietly. "What you and Inuyasha have going isn't such a healthy relationship either. Whenever he does something you don't like you sit him."

Kagome guffawed — much like a fish — and glared. "Only when he deserves it!"

"I don't see how having a different opinion, even when he's being rude about it, equals being sat three feet into the ground."

Kagome opened her mouth to retort when their mother suddenly barked out a laugh. She held her cup of steaming coffee between her hands and bestowed both of her daughters with an amused look. "Oh Dear, Kagome-chan, you really are like me…"

"Why is that?" Chiharu asked, furrowing her eyebrows.

"Coming up with arguments instead of raising our voices to win a vocal disagreement." Mama laughed again before pushing a lock of hair out of her face. "And Chiharu-chan, you're so much like your father when sniffling out someone's weakness."

"I am?"

"She is?"

"Oh yes," mama nodded, "you always were. It's what amused your Jiji-chan and me so much when we came to watch your debate club last year."

"Really?" Kagome asked. "He liked to debate?"

"Yes," mama nodded again, "he was also very good at it, your father was. Patient and thoughtful, waiting for the right moment to speak up, and when he did there was no winning against him. Much like you do, Chiharu-chan, you aim to kill."

Kagome snorted. "More like she's a menace."

Their mother laughed again, walking towards the fruit bowl and extracted her car keys from it. "Well, if you two want a ride, we should go now."

Half an hour later, Mrs Higurashi parked the car before the large library building, ignoring the cards at the main road. Chiharu felt her fingers tense when the brakes of their car squealed and the car stopped into a gap between the two tall buildings. Mrs Higurashi smiled at them — in the end, she had relented, dropping them off at the library instead of the Metro station — "Now, be good!"

Both girls stepped out of the car, Chiharu smiled, leaning against the car window. "We always are! See you tonight, mama."

"You two will have to come home using the Metro, all right?"

"Hai, Mama!" Kagome called back and Chiharu nodded pushing the door closed. They watched their mother speed away. The books about history and culture legends were on the same floor and before long the girls had divided their search.

The light bulbs were softly buzzing, but the soft orange light was hardly adequate to do some reading. Chiharu browsed through one of the high shelves, keeping an eye out for her bag, which she dropped on one of the imposing grand desks. Whenever she found a book she thought might be interesting she would bring it back to the desk and their rather uncomfortable green tufted leather chairs which loomed darkly into the clearing of Tokyo's grandest library. With a small sigh, she rubbed her hands over her upper arms, trying to ignore the many triggers she smelled, heard and saw around her. If she thought the polluted air outside had been rather trying than she hadn't thought about a public space where absolutely every person would come. The diversity of scents — not all as pleasant either — made her nose tingle and after turning as red as a beat when she realised a rather strange smell came from a rubber condom shoved under one of the bookcases, she wrapped her indoor scarf around her neck in such a fashion, her nose and mouth were covered as well.

"Found something?" Kagome asked appearing with two thick leather books embroiled with silver lettering.

"No, you?"

Kagome frowned and her eyes lingered on Chiharu's scarf before shaking her head. "Just some books about urban legends and the book that is called; 'The Book of Yōkai', but it's not really all that helpful."

She tiredly gravitated back to the laden shelves, trailing her index finger over the many spines and sighed in resignation. She hadn't expected to find an easy answer, but she had hoped she had at least some answers. Of course, human authors would think everything yōkai-related would be nothing but fantasy. Grumbling to herself she selected a book randomly, flicked it open and peered at the index.

"Onee-chan?" she suddenly called out when her eyes fell on the word 'youki'. "I might have found something."

She returned to the imposing desk and flopped down next to her sister. "It might be nothing, but it has a detailed explanation about yōkai and a thorough description of youki."

"What does it say?"

"That it's poisonous to humans."

"We had no idea," Kagome dryly remarked.

"No, but, Kagome-onee-chan, I'm human— well, I was a human. It's strange either way."

"Fair point."

Chewing on the skin of her cheek, Chiharu leaned over the stack of papers on the library table, dropping the book on the table. After hours of reading evaluations and old scrolls, they'd gotten nowhere. The names in the older files could have been responsible for the deaths of thousands of humans back at Sengoku-jidai. There was no mention of the band of seven and she wondered what more of history was lost in time. Obviously not everything made it to modern times.

"Wait," Kagome suddenly whispered, "They're part of a group called Shichinitai, aren't they?"

"Yes?"

"I think this is about them!" Kagome whispered. "Listen, there were only seven of them, but their strength was incredible. They could do the work of a hundred men, and their raids were unnecessarily savage; those who were slain by the Band of Seven were sliced to pieces and burned alive. The only people capable of such atrocities are those with a real penchant for murder."

"Sounds like them all right." Chiharu nodded.

"It says nothing about being resurrected though." Kagome continued and Chiharu pursed her lips.

"I doubt they'll write anything about that. Most people wouldn't believe those anyway."

"This was a waste of time," Kagome whispered, "we found nothing important and I have about a mountain of homework to get to."

Chiharu nodded, her fingers curling around the scroll about the youki and dropped it in her bag. They hadn't been looking for it, but that didn't make it unimportant.

"Excuse me?"

Both sisters stiffened before whipping around. A girl who seemed to be around the same age with thick, dark hair and caramel-coloured eyes peered back. One eye seemed a bit darker than the other, but that might have been a trick of the light. If you looked closely no one had identical eyes. The girl was wearing simple denim pants, a long button-up and simple white sneakers. A high school girl with a project.

"Hi, I'm sorry if I freaked you two out, but I work here and I was wondering if I could help you with anything?"

Kagome was the first to recover. "Erm, yes, we're doing a school project on the Sengoku period."

"Yes," Chiharu nodded hastily, "we're looking in on the myths and legends from these times. You know Youkai, magical objects and resurrected ghosts."

The girl frowned and Kagome gave Chiharu a look that seemed to say 'really', before turning back to the library girl. "Yes, we're looking for myths and legends."

"I see," she whispered, smiling politely. "Well, the only myth I know of is the Legend of the jewel of the four-souls."

"Really?"

"Yes, but I'm afraid there are no monotonous stories about it. If you're interested in Youki and Yōkai then I know where you should look."

They had waisted hours in the library already. Chiharu was sure that following this lead would not be that much of a help either, but followed after the girl anyway. There was a section, small and dusty, at the far back of the library dedicated to Yōkai and its legends. Chiharu followed her sister's example and started to peruse the shelves. You would think that someone had to know. Someone had to have written something, but there was nothing. No horrendous stories about yōkai attacking so many innocents and even the myths were barely adequate.

Kagome sighed in disappointment but Chiharu wasn't all that surprised. Humans had dominated the food chain for decades. They probably didn't want anyone to know that there had been creatures who might have looked like them, but definitely were much stronger. Hadn't humanity always done that? Chiharu wasn't sure…

"I want to go home," Kagome decided when she found nothing either.

"All right," Chiharu answered, waving at the library girl.

An hour later, the Higurashi twins travelled home with the bus. Much like they'd expected they hadn't found anything. The girl, Kazue Howaitojasumin, was pleasant enough, helping them sift through the various books and scrolls. She seemed unusually happy around the dusty old tomes and when they left she waved at them telling them to come back.

"She was somewhat odd," Chiharu dryly said and Kagome chuckled.

"I think she was looking for friends," she retorted before hailing the bus to stop.

"What are you doing?" Chiharu asked as Kagome got up and swung her bag over her shoulder. "This is not our stop."

"No, it's not yours, but it is mine. I need to get groceries. You know what Inuyasha is like when we run out of ramen."

"Oh," Chiharu answered dumbly getting to her feet as well.

"No," Kagome shook her head, "you go on. He takes you better than he does me."

"You're not still—"

Kagome smiled tightly before shaking her head. "I'm not angry at you."

"If you say so," Chiharu whispered, "I hadn't realised you wanted to return to Sengoku-jidai."

"I don't," she admitted as the bus screeched to a halt, "but I want a buffer against Inuyasha. I just need some time."

"Right," Chiharu nodded, "I can do that."

She wasn't all that looking forward to dealing with Inuyasha or, heaven forbid, his older brother, but she had done enough to jeopardise her sister's relationship. The bus doors clanked closed behind her and Chiharu jumped on the pavement. The sky had turned a dark grey, the scent of rain strong in the air. Twisting the straps of her rucksack between her fingers, Chiharu distractedly headed for the wooden stairs towards the Higurashi Shrine.

She wasn't looking forward to seeing Inuyasha at all—

 _To be continued…_

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 **A/N: I love Mrs Higurashi so much! And the siblings are back to their harmless banter. I like to idea of siblings. I don't have sisters. But I imagine you would forgive your sister far easier when they wrong you. And although I do think Kagome has some issues, she has always shown to be forgiving^^.**

 **Upcoming week I have several very important tests, which is why this chapter is late too, but I might not be able to update the next one upcoming Thursday.**

 **Inuyasha does not belong to me but to J.K. Rowling.**

 **Enjoy Easter :)**


	30. Chapter 29, Bonds through time

**A/N: Terribly sorry for the late update. I had a lot of stress for exams and I just couldn't find the time. I hope this chapter will make up for it though, with Chiharu-chan meeting a decent guy (Sesshōmaru will not be best pleased).**

 **I also wanted your opinion. Either I keep updating the story (with the increasing rating and only this one warning), or I'll start updating the second part as a sequel with the rating M. What do you all think^^**  
 **It won't change the update schedule (unless I get stressed for another exam of course...), but I'm not entirely sure. The ratings T and M seem rather similar and I'm not sure when the rating should be labelled M. Therefore, what do you all think?**

 **Also, thank you all for leaving so many reviews. I was very happy to receive them. To guest-reviewer Anon (to whom I can't reply to), thank you for your thoughts and reviews. As to answer your question about Kagome being independent or becoming independent or not, she is improving. I might not mention so a lot (because I do skip a lot fights), Kagome is, by now, capable to push her reiki into her arrows. Still, I'm mostly following the manga and not the anime, so I don't really remember her receiving any training from Kaede at this point in the manga. Also, I do think it might be very difficult to learn and get any better in such a dangerous environment as Sengoku-jidai (with all the bandits and the dangerous youkai). I definitely don't think Inuyasha would allow her to get some training (considering the time that would take), so I wasn't really planning on changing that. Kagome-chan will remain human. I was not planning on making her a meta-human or anything^^**

 **As for Kagome being selfless. She is. But she's also a teenager and sometimes responds too harshly and makes wrong decisions (just as she does in the manga). I try to stick to that as well. Chiharu is not a saint either (I think she was stealing herself a living at the beginning of this story), and I like really 3-dimensional characters.**

 **And I think I've kept everyone long enough. Again, thank you for your reviews.**

 **And on with the story! Enjoy^^**

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 **o.O.o**

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 **Chapter Twenty-nine, Bonds through time**

 _'If I could go back to the day we met, I'm sorry but I'd turn around and walk the other way.'_

 **C** anopies of sultry, summer sun filtered in through the windows as the students of the tenth grade watched a movie about volcanos. Chiharu Higurashi was seated in the front-row, her ankles crossed her pencil out, taking curt notes in her pink notebook. The teacher strengthened his movie with a lecture about ruptures in the heavy crust of the earth and as the lesson progressed Chiharu watched with keen interest as rigid tectonic plates float on a hotter, softer layer in the mantle. Geography was usually interesting enough and she supposed the diverging and converging tectonic plates were rather interesting. Kagome stared at her textbook, obviously still upset about Inuyasha.

After she'd left to get ramen, Inuyasha had come over (just as predicted). No matter what she said, he got irritated and used his impressive nose to follow Kagome's scent through the city until he cornered her in a supermarket. Their argument was mostly drowned out by the middle-aged woman arguing with a young girl with bright red hair behind the register, but it was nasty. It ended with Inuyasha telling Kagome that he had had it and two days later, they were still not on speaking terms.

Chiharu reached up to toy with her small pearl earrings and tried to focus her attention back on the teacher's lecture. She'd known Inuyasha had been angry with Kagome. And had also known Kagome had been angry with Inuyasha, but she'd thought that, if given time, they would figure it all out. Their mother had tried to talk with Kagome about it, but till thus far, she hadn't had much luck.

The teacher's gaze lingered on her and Chiharu smiled watery. "—I'm sorry?"

"Of how many major plates does the Earth's lithosphere composed, Higurashi-san?" The woman asked curtly, pushing the round-rimmed glassed further up her nose. She obviously thought she hadn't been paying attention. It wasn't completely true. Even when she was upset or had other things to worry about, that didn't stop her from being a high achiever. Chiharu never slacked off. She used to be an honour roll student with a perfect 4.0 grade point average.

"Eight, ma'am,"

"Indeed," the teacher agreed, "It seems you were paying attention at least. As I was saying along convergent boundaries, subduction, or any plate moving under another, carries the lower down into the mantle—"

Kagome let out a depressed sigh and Chiharu started to scratch at the price sticker on her vinyl pencil case. She was glad when the recess bell sounded.

Afternoon classes were canceled because of the heat and Chiharu and Kagome ate lunch at a small cafe near the central station. Chiharu bought herself a spinach salad and watched from the other side of the terrace how her older sister greeted her three friends, now in high school. She laughed and joked with Yuka, Ayumi and Eri.

"Ah Higurashi-san," Chiharu automatically turned in her seat, but when she noticed Hōjo, making his way towards her older sister, she turned back to her salad. Ayumi's wavy hair bounced around her head as she hid her smile behind her hands. It was a secret to no one that Hōjo really liked Chiharu's older sister and she watched with interest as Kagome talked animatedly with the boy.

She watched Hōjo pull a parcel from his pocket and Kagome's cheeks turned scarlet. Hōjo smiled warmly, ran a hand through his bangs and intertwined his fingers together. The three girls around Kagome smiled happily and Eri wrapped an arm around Kagome's shoulders.

"Your sister has a handsome boyfriend," a waitress commented and set a glass of ice-cold ice-tea before Chiharu.

"Yes," Chiharu agreed, "Well, no, he's not her boyfriend. Not yet, at least."

"Hm, well, that's going to change, then." The girl answered before returning to the counter. Chiharu rubbed her hands together and sighed. There was a boy at the bar smiling at her. She was almost certain he was in to her. Chiharu wasn't sure why. She was relatively pretty, but not extremely so. She wasn't as tall as Kagome, nor was she as curvy (she had barely any curves at all). Her two-coloured eyes, as rare as they were, were generally not well-liked and children hadn't been all that creative in their insults.

He smiled at her again and she felt her cheeks flame up.

"See you tonight, Hōjo-kun." Ayumi yelled and Kagome turned an interesting shade of pink. Chiharu had no time to think about it as the boy from the bar, tall with dark hair and dark brown eyes crossed the bar. His skin was tanned and his cheekbones perfect.

"Hi,"

She stumbled for a response. "Hi,"

She doesn't even hear Hōjo fumble over an invitation to the amusement-park and nodded not-so-gracefully when he asked if he could take a seat at her table. His fingers are long and nimble. She thought he was better suited for the cover of a magazine with the sharp lines and the harsh angles of his face. He's definitely handsome and well-mannered. She thought she could like him.

It's just—

He isn't _him_ —

"I'm Arjun," He greeted and she thought he must have been originally from India.

"Chiharu," she offered breathlessly. His features were striking and his tanned skin smooth. He was tall, really tall, with broad shoulders and narrow hips. His hair is wavy and gelled back from his face and he smiled.

"Nice to meet you,"

"Yes," she nodded, "likewise."

"What year are you in?"

"Last year of Middle school." She answered dutifully, thinking for a moment. "You?"

"Senior in High school."

That meant he was seventeen or eighteen. Only a year older and he had nice teeth. She thought that her mother might approve of him. She certainly would like the marble-cut jaw, weeping into high, aristocratic cheekbones and the warm brown eyes.

Hōjo was moving away from the terrace and Kagome slung her schoolbag over her shoulder, coming over. "Chiharu-chan?"

"Erm, yes?" She stammered and Arjun smiled brightly at Chiharu's older sister.

"Oh," Kagome stuttered, her eyes flitting over the tall boy and her cheeks turning pink. "Erm, I'm going home with Eri-chan and Yuka-chan and tonight I've got a date with Hōjo-kun…"

"Yes?"

"It means I won't be home today," Kagome decided and Chiharu frowned. She'd thought they would be going back to the past.

"Then what am I supposed to say when I see Inuyasha?" She asked annoyed and Kagome pushed her hair up in a high pony tail.

"Lie through your teeth," Kagome advised and she stalked away. Chiharu stared around her and pushed her damp hair out of her face.

"Lie through your teeth, why, thank you for that advise."

"Inuyasha?"

"Her boyfriend—" she started to say, but then shook her head. "Well, he used to be her boyfriend."

"Ah," he nodded. Outside, a blue Opel stopped in front of the cafe and Kagome hurried after Yuka towards the car. Chiharu stiffly waved goodbye at them and watched the car drive away.

"And are you going to keep this Inuyasha-character at bay?" He asked amused. "Or would you be interested in going out with me?"

She bit her lip. "Okay,"

He takes her to a coffee shop downtown and she took a seat in a velvet armchair. She wasn't sure what had been wrong with the first cafe, but when he treats her with a frozen blended mocha, she sighed. Despite the clammy heat inside the drink is wonderful and he smiled.

She felt the heat creeping across her cheeks for the umpteenth time that day. He sat down into the ugly velvet armchair adjacent to hers and sipped carefully from his frozen iced coffee. She isn't the first girl he took there, she can tell by the way he acts and more importantly how the cafe workers act. His smiles are satisfactory and predatory. It made something itch at the back of her head. All the while, she fiddled restlessly with the cuffs of her skirt.

He took her home with his rusty car — he bloody well owned a car — and he peers up at the long wooden stairs up to the Higurashi shrine. His cheekbones are less prominent in the light, the edges less sharp, but he's still as handsome. She wasn't sure if she liked him or not. At least she wasn't sure if she liked him like that.

She does know that she liked her first kiss. As much as Kagome liked to believe her first kiss was with Inuyasha, she learned that evening it wasn't. Arjun kissed her slowly at first, as if afraid to scare her off and when she didn't run away screaming (too curious to do so), deepened the kiss. His fingers ghost over the delicate wings of her shoulder blades and his tongue slid past her lips. There's a hitch in his breath and she felt his lips quirk up against hers. His hand moved down the small of her back and pressed her closer.

"I had fun, Higurashi-san," he offered lightly as he stepped back. She felt her cheeks flush.

"Yes," she agreed, "fun."

He chuckled and took a notebook out of the pocket in his jacket. "This is my mobile phone number. I would love to have a repeat."

"Ah yes," she nodded, accepting the scrap of paper, "Oh, that might not be soon, I'll be away for some time."

"Oh?"

"A school exchange abroad." She answered quickly.

"Ah," he nodded, "sounds like fun."

She nodded. "Oh it is. It's just for a few months."

Or at least she hoped it was only a few months. Who knew how long collecting the Shikon shards would take. How long would it take to see the end of the Shikon Jewel. Chiharu toyed with the chunk of the Shikon No Tama that hung suspended from a fine silver chain around her neck. The shards scarcely left her person and Arjun watched it with keen interest. He smiled widely.

"Text me when you return."

She smiled. "I will! I'll be travelling home during a few weekends."

He grin turned dangerously predatory and it does something to her stomach. Muscles clench with something hot and foreign and her face goes scarlet. He leant down again, hands cupping her cheeks and mouth warm and sweat from the chocolate he ate. She wasn't entirely sure if she did it right. Kissing him that was. After a moment he stepped back, waved at her and moved away from the wooden stairs.

When Chiharu returned home she packed her own bag, fresh undies and a bra that she'd once begged her mother for — it seemed like such a long time ago when she acted like a teenage girl — in a daze. Her first kiss had been wonderful and she wondered if he would really wait for her. Her mother raised an eyebrow at her happy demeanour.

"You're happy?"

"Hai, Mamma," she responded, "I met a boy today."

Warm brown eyes widened almost comically. "You did?"

"Gee, thanks for your support." She dryly retorted.

"Oh honey," She answered amused and chiharu sat down adjacent of her mother.

"Onee-chan is coming home late tonight." Chiharu admitted. "She's going out with Hōjo-kun."

"And what about Inuyasha?" Mamma asked, readjusting the tie of her apron and ran a hand through her short wavy hair.

"I have no idea." Chiharu admitted.

"But this boy— What's he like?"

Chiharu smiled. "His name is Arjun. He's from India."

"And now you're growing up as well." Her mother whispered wishfully and Chiharu snorted.

"If you want me to tell you about my date, then I'd advise you to not mumble about me growing up so fast." She told her mother huffily and the older woman smiled and cut a piece of pie and added it to a small pinkish plate.

"A mother wants what's best for her daughter, honey. Here, I just made it."

"Thank you," she smiled and shovelled a forkful of apple pie into her mouth. Her mother liked baking. No dish was safe for her and she thought up several creations. Chiharu liked her pie the most. She inhaled deeply, the scent of fresh apples and cinnamon filled her nose. "It's wonderful mamma."

Her mother smiled and leant her head on her hands. "Yes, it is. Now, what about this boy? Do you like him?"

Chiharu pursed her lips. She had liked him well enough and although she was rather sure she had felt the thrill of sexual tension curl into her stomach, she wasn't sure if she really liked him or not. Her lashes scrape against her cheeks when she squeezed her eyes shut and rubbed her hands against her temples.

"I don't really know."

"Is this about Sesshōmaru?" Her mother asked, reaching out and pushing a lock of hair out of Chiharu's face.

"No— well, yes, I suppose. I told him I was done. I mean, I hate him or well, I dislike him strongly, but I somewhat like him as well— It's just— it's so complicated." She explained understanding she did not make much sense. "Arjun— he was refreshing. He treated me like a girl, a normal regular girl but— I don't what to do. I don't know what I should choose."

"That's the beauty about youth, Honey" her mother whispered, "you don't have to choose right now."

"Right," she muttered, staring at the weak streams of sunlight bouncing off the shiny counter, "I think I'm going to pack my bag and tell Inuyasha Kagome wants to stay home one more day."

"Good luck with that," her Grandfather said as he stepped into the shiny kitchen.

"I know. I see you later." She said and wandered over to the stairs. Upstairs she packed her miko garb and several sets of underwear. When she returned downstairs, she kissed grandpa on his wilted cheek, hugged Sōta when she passed him in the living room behind the television and kissed her mother on her cheek. They followed her to the well house and she smiled. When the jewel was completed, she would come home, go to college and make sure their lives would be perfect.

"I will be back," she promised them all.

The journey to the past was short and she silently stood in the centre of the dirt. She liked the idea of a boyfriend. Her day with Arjun had been wonderful and she thought she deserved someone. Kagome had Inuyasha. Even if they were fighting at the moment, Chiharu still thought they would end up together. Chiharu shook her head and pushed herself up the ledge of the well and sighed. When she grew up— She felt her cheeks heat up. If she grew up, because people with yōkai blood aged differently than humans did.

"Am I even able to start a family with a human?" Chiharu whispered to herself.

The air is muggy from an early summer storm and the air seeped into her skin. Chiharu readjusted the knot of her tie and flattened her hands over her skirt. Yet, she could enjoy herself with dating one for a while, even if she couldn't have a family with one, couldn't grow old with someone.

"Miko,"

She froze, her fingers growing numb above the harsh grain of the wood beneath her. She tossed her hair back and slowly met his gaze. He looked furiously.

The Lord of the Western border was definitely, absolutely, most-assuredly not in a good mood. His amber eyes were ablaze with an unknown fury and she back-pedalled. She had no idea what he was doing here, nor what it was that he'd wanted at that moment. His mouth is pressed in a razor thin line and his youki swirled around him like an impending storm.

"Sesshōmaru?" She squeaked, her rucksack falling to the dirt.

 _To be continued..._

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 **A/N: Next update upcoming Thursday. The muse is back^^**

 **Leave a review!**


	31. Chapter 30, Obsession

**A/N: And here is chapter thirty. A bit too late, I'll admit, but at least it's here.** **I still have a good few chapters left, but at least the upcoming two chapters are done. Thank you, everyone for the comments, I'll getting back to them tomorrow (school has been strangely busy). I really, really love them. I'm also very glad all of you are so patient, and, good news for once, I'll be updating this story upcoming Tuesday again (because I've been absent for so long).**

 **And to my guest** **replier, thank you for clearing your up your comment. Kagome is indeed a modern teenager and I know she tries hard, but she'll probably won't bend to Inuyasha anytime soon (they're both too stubborn). There will be some extra chapters, but not in 'A tale of two sisters', but in an extra story. That one isn't ready yet. It will be out of several people's viewpoint, but in this story I want to stick to Chiharu's and Sesshōmaru's. Regardless, I hope you'll enjoy the next chapter (it was a hard one for me, and I'm still not entirely satisfied with it).**

 **Do comment:)**

 **Inuyasha does not belongs to me!**

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o.O.o

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 _ **Chapter Thirty, Obsession**_

 **S** esshōmaru peered at her from the other side of the clearing and she froze. The rucksack fell to the forest-floor with a soft thud and the Daiyōkai flexed his claws. His roiling aura betrayed his impatience, swirling around him in furious dark waves of youki and she felt her eyebrows furrow together. Her heart stuttered and her hands grew cold with a horrible sensation she was slightly familiar with.

A trickle of fear ran down her spine.

She was horrified to be afraid. Badly even. It gripped at her, unfurling within her, spreading tingles of fear through her bloodstream.

From the beginning she had always been a bit afraid of him. Whenever he looked at her through half-lidded eyes, with cold calculation or with a hint of curiosity. When she ran into him all those months ago, cheeks reddened and shoulders slightly aching from the light sunburn. Her hands were damp and her feet had hurt and Jaken had snarled furiously at her while his Master had looked down upon her with some sort of contempt.

The attack of Edo followed closely after. Back then, she had no idea who he was and had only watched transfixed as he appeared out of nowhere, dragging her away from the imminent battle. She had not known pain before that day either. What ever had motivated him beside the sword was only guesswork but one moment she was struggling futilely against his grip and the next, fangs had grazed over the thin, fine skin of her neck, piercing the flesh, through the tendon, and drawing blood.

It left a mark.

A mark that was tingling slightly as he glowered at her and she forced herself to remain calm. He'd drawn her out before. It often ended in a fight between the Daiyōkai and his younger half-sibling.

Their increasingly ridiculous sword fights often followed _his_ unannounced visits and she took a weary step back. The Lord of the Western border was definitely, absolutely, most-assuredly not in a good mood.

The amber of his eyes flashed and for a moment, Chiharu forgot how to breathe. She had never seen such a murderous expression on his face, and considering the murderous expressions she'd seen on his face before, that was saying something. His irises were framed with a tinge of red, face pale and muscles so tense, she gave an involuntary shudder. She took a cautious step back and he mirrored her, but far quicker. He was in front of her in less than a second, invading her personal space, his far an inch away from hers.

"Sesshōmaru?"

She almost fell over her own bag and felt the rim of the well press against the back of her knees as one of his hands fisted into her collar, hoisting her up; "Who is he?"

Her mouth opened and closed but no sound came from her lips. She tried again: "W—what?"

"Who is _he_?"

"—I, I think— j-just a friend," she whimpered, talons scarping over her shoulder, "I— let go."

Her voice did not sound strong, her mouth curling around those words as if she they physically hurt her and he shook her. As if he was waiting for a more satisfying answer, but she couldn't think of one.

"A friend?"

A dark blush flared over her face as his eyes zeroed in on her. When she tried to glance away, his hand moved to her hair, yanking her head back, baring her neck. Her heart thudded loudly in her ears as he took a long whiff. How stupid and careless she'd been. If he had known about Inuyasha pecking her in a moment of drunkenness than of course would he be capable to sense Arjun on her. If it wasn't some stupid side effect of the Mark, than it must have been his scent. Hadn't she been able to smell some woman on him too?

"Get off!"

"Where is he?" He hissed. Her toes were barely even touching the ground and her hands flew to his wrist.

"G—get off me!" She gasped. Normally she would have told him where he could stick it, but his features were twisted in such a dangerous expression, she didn't dare. She had never seen him this unhinged. An expression of pure cold rage had twisted his features and the tinge of red around his irises was expanding, taking over the cold amber.

"Where," he demanded again and she fought the urge to snap at him. His whole demeanor screamed certain death.

"He's not here," she forced herself to say, "even if you wanted to, you can't reach him."

"Can't I?"

'Wrong thing to say, wrong thing to say!'

"No, you can't get into my world." She finally decided on. She'd noticed his scent in the well before, obviously trying to pass and she knew without a doubt that he couldn't. Or at least, she strongly hoped he couldn't…

"What is he to you?" He hissed furious, his eyes shifting to her lips and she felt her face grow hot. This was not a conversation she wanted to have with anyone, least someone like Sesshōmaru. His gaze was still furious, but he looked like he was getting the reigns back on his self control.

"Just, just a friend,"

"A friend," he didn't sound as if believed it and his eyes hardened again. Why did she always say the wrong thing to him?

His face got even closer and she felt his his breath on her cheek. "I don't think so. I think you're just trying to prove a point."

"Prove a point," she whispered. Her mouth ran dry as his other hand settled on her waist.

"What was it again," he mocked her, taunting her in a voice he'd only ever reserved for belittling Inuyasha, "Whatever there was between us, it's over."

She cringed at the cold way he threw her own words in her face and he sneered. He looked so furious and suddenly— it just made sense. The thought stuck her like lightning and her mouth slacked open. "You think I did it to spite you?"

He didn't answer and involuntarily a laugh was wrenched from her throat. Did he truly think the whole damn world revolved around him?

"I did not do this to spite you. If I had, I would have found someone to kiss somewhere I would know for sure you would notice. For God sake the world doesn't revolve around you. I was just curious."

"Curious,"

"Yes," she answered exasperated, "I'm sixteen, Sesshōmaru, it's perfectly normal for me to be curious."

His features twisted again and she saw the heated look in his eyes. The only other time she'd seen that look on his face was when his young ward Rin had fallen ill and he'd thought it to be beneficial to show her all the wonders of their shared Bond. Her fingers spasmed around his shoulders and she tried to back-pedal, away from him. His hands gripped her upper arms tightly and she winced when her back hit something harsh and solid.

His claws dug into the sensitive flesh of her upper arms and she felt a gasping breath escape her throat. His grip was tight, yet never too hard to really wound, but still hard enough to sting. A whimper left her dry lips as he possessively pressed her against him, the sharp edges of his breastplate painful against her unprotected chest and she tried— she really tried to push him away.

It wasn't like the last time he'd manipulated the Bond. It was stronger, more potent and dark. His mouth slanted over the puckered flesh of the mark on her neck and the most horrible sense of belonging settled into her stomach. She must have made another sound, and it was obvious a mistake, but he growled against her neck, a thigh wedged between hers. He then, did something particular wicked and small sparks of excitement shot its way up her spine.

She hissed and wrenched her face away, ignoring the fingers that trailed down the side of her neck, down her back and settling on the curve of her lower back, just above her backside. He pinned her against the harsh bark of a tree and traced the curvature of her cartilage with his tongue. Her breath hitched as clawed fingers pushed the hem of her haori aside and grazed the skin of her hip and abdomen. Her muscles gave an involuntary jerk and she felt her face grow hot.

"Sesshō—" she tried again, fingers curling into the shoulders of his haori and she gasped when his incisors tugged at her earlobe. Her breathing was laboured by this point and his warm breath fanned out over the sensitive lobe, when he pulled back a bit. Her face grew even hotter.

"You are mine,"

And with that he pressed his mouth against the under sight of her jaw. Fangs grazing over the sensitive skin and she fisted her fingers so tight into his haori that her knuckles turned white.

"I—" she whimpered, unsure what she wanted to say, yet, her voice quivered.

The worst part of it was that it didn't feel bad and she ignored the contracting of abdominal muscles. She whimpered, her head lolling submissively to the side and inhaled deeply. Fingers were curling down under her knee, pulling her leg up, curling it around his waist, while the other circled around her breast. Overwhelmed, she only hissed at the contact, pushing futilely against him. She probably would have more chance pushing a brick wall away than the furious Daiyōkai in front of her.

"—Mine," he whispered against her neck before slowly dragging his lips up against her neck and leaned into her. She ignored the almost-pleasant feelings he administrations incited and as his claws started to dig into the under sights of her knees, her struggling became firmer.

"Stop," she gasped even as she angled her head and then she heard a branch snap in the distance. His fangs grazed her neck, his attention suddenly preoccupied with someone fast approaching. She used his surprised momentum to push at him again, and this time he took a step back. The branches shook, the leaves fluttered and Inuyasha moved through the green foliage in a red and silver blur.

"—you bastard!" Inuyasha snarled furiously, dropping down from a tall tree, sword drawn and Sesshōmaru blocked it with a sweep of his claws, a green acid whip slamming him back and he fixed his blood-red eyes on her. She suspected the next step in her direction was made almost unconscious and she backed away, ignoring the nerves curling her way up her spine.

"What do you think you were doing, fucking arsehole?"

She stumbled back towards the well and all but threw herself the lip of the well. The gravity pulled her down, her hair flailing wildly about her face and the purple light engulfed her briefly before she dropped against the mud. The open dark starry sky above her had disappeared and now she was looking up at the darkened wooden ceiling the Higurashi shrine.

It was raining outside.

She could tell.

She remained on her back for a few minutes, peering up at the dark ceiling and her breathing remained heavy. The dirt under her was damp and as the points of her hair became wet she sat up, rubbing her hands over her cheeks, down her neck and left them on her shoulders, squeezing the tensed muscles. Her lids lowered slightly and she felt her thoughts momentarily drift away, back to the Daiyōkai. He and Inuyasha were probably fighting by now.

It was how things between them always ended. Sesshōmaru being a chauvinistic prick had often felt the need to show his superiority and Inuyasha never could keep his foot out of his mouth. She shivered. How horrible she was to not go back and help her friend.

She shook her head resolutely, trying to dislodge the unwanted image of Sesshōmaru from her mind. The smell of wet earth and exhaust fumes wafted through the open. She threw the yellow backpack over her shoulder and held onto its straps until her knuckles turned white. Her cheeks were hot and she felt warm tears sliding down her chilled cheeks.

"Oh God—"

Shivering, she slowly started to climb her way up the rope ladder, heaving herself out of the, wooden well and sat down on the lid. Curling her toes she stared at her hands. Her cheeks flushed with mortification. She felt exhausted, mortified, but most of all, confused. Everything in her body was tensed, poised to jump and her skin itched, tingled.

She slowly made her way out of the shrine, leaning heavily against the wooden doorjamb. She crossed her arms beneath her breasts and shook her head again, once again trying to make the steely golden eyed male leave her thoughts. She watched the path towards the house with mild interest, softening to mud beneath the steady rain and rubbed the back of her hand harshly against her eyes.

 **I-I. ⌡. Γ┐**

The days had grown long and his quest for Naraku relentless. He had a good idea where the notorious Hanyō was hiding. When he learned about the yōkai hiding inside the bowels of the mountain, it hadn't taken a genius to figure out how Naraku remained undetected. Even though he now knew where the Hanyō was, didn't mean he could get anywhere near him. Thereby, his usual duties still needed his attention and it was because of that, he happened upon her while patrolling.

He happened on her by complete coincidence, her unmistakable reiki brushing against his youki in a knowing caress. His nostrils twitched as the distinct vanilla scent of his Miko suddenly hit the air. It was as if she'd been cloaking herself and just released the spell.

His lids lowered slightly and he inhaled softly. Her scent was so strong, he halted at the forest edge.

Miko Chiharu

Despite his best efforts to avoid direct contact with any member of the Hanyō's pack, he kept running into his little Mikō. The last time, when the animated corpse had taken Rin, he'd been not too pleased to lay eyes on her. Eyes wide and scent clean and pure. He hated her a little bit more that she remained absolutely oblivious to what he wanted. Hated and resented her for being physically attracted to her. If only she did not feel that way.

But she did.

It didn't help that she was in fact powerful too. He still couldn't phantom that her reiki and his youki had accepted each other so thoroughly. When he first sensed the sizzle of her holy power he'd thought she would have died inside of a month. Yet, as headstrong as the girl was as forgiving where her powers. Even with the natural warmth she expressed for all kind — her reiki wasn't hostile by nature — his youki should have torn it to shreds.

He snorted to himself. How foolish it had been to think he could have predicted her resistance.

Sesshōmaru inhaled again. There was something off about her scent.

It took him a moment to realise what it was.

Her scent was off because there was another scent. It curled around her, human and strong, but most of all. It was male. It was different, he didn't know it, but he did know the sudden fury that ran through his blood. He was in the clearing in the blink of an eye, standing in the shadows from the trees.

He found himself suddenly close enough to her to see the freckles on the bridge of her nose. With the fading sun they almost disappeared, but he could still make them out. She gasped, eyes widening as she took several steps back, the yellow monstrosity her sister always carried dropped on the muddy forest floor with a soft thud.

"Sesshōmaru?"

He felt more of the anger he felt display on his face and her expression twisted in fear. She looked like a doe caught by a predator. He took another step forward fisting his hands into the collar of her shirt and hoisted her up, bringing her face closer to his.

"Who is he?"

She seemed at a loss: "W-What?"

She always seemed at a loss and he tightened his grip on her. He hadn't known her to be spiteful before and he felt the need arise to give her a good shake.

"Who is _he_?"

"—I, I think— j-just a friend," she whimpered, talons scarping over her shoulder, "I— let go."

A friend. How foolish did she think he was. Yet, apart from her obvious discomfort, she showed no sigh of spite. She looked irritated, annoyed and more than a bit afraid, but she had yet to be spiteful. He looked at her. Inuyasha's lifestyle had been hard on her and while she'd been more child than woman, her face had sharpened, cheekbones accentuating her face nicely.

She had been afraid back then too. He remembered stumbling on her before she'd learned how to really use any of her senses. His anger dissipated slightly and the girl's voice jolted him from his observations. The scent of her human _friend_ , still heavy in the air and yanked her closer.

He did not share…

Not with her…

 _To be continued…_


	32. Chapter 31, Feelings we don't Share

**A/N: Just as I promised. The newest chapter^^  
**

 **And thank you so much for the reviews. They made me so happy.**  
T **o my anonymous reviewer, you're definitely right! Sesshōmaru is an arse. You're absolutely right that his jealously and his obsessiveness are not fair, but then again: This is Sesshōmaru we're talking about. I find him always very difficult to write. Also, this story is set in the 16 hundredths. Times were so different (which is sometimes difficult for me too)^^ Although, Youkai society might work a bit different, but I do think the basic rule around that men were in charge. Thank you again for your reviews. I enjoy them very much!** **  
**

 **This chapter will have the (close) to M characteristics this story will head off to. Still, I don't think it's 'sexual' enough for the rating to go up to 'M'.**

 **And on with the story! Enjoy^^**

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 **o.O.o**

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 **Chapter Thirty-one, Feelings we don't Share**

 _'Just as a candle cannot burn without fire, men cannot live without a spiritual life.' — Buddha_

 **W** eak streams of pale moonlight filtered in through the bedroom window. The rain floated in gentle waves pattering down on the windows and the air was humid. Silver shimmering dust particles floated through the room and a small light bulb, Chiharu used when she was a little girl expelled a hazy light over the wooden floorboards and was reflected from the old vanity mirror and fell on the old photograph of a large sakura tree, taken during springtime when she'd been eight-years-old.

Chiharu Higurashi lay flat on her back in the bed, her purple sheets wrapped around her small form and her breathing quick. Her pyjama itching against thighs and arms. She'd struggled to fall asleep all night, but so far she had little luck. And when she did, she dreamed.

She dreamed of _him_ glancing at her sharply. With a ferocity, she hadn't known before and did not dull when she met his gaze. The resentment, although still very visible in his features, had made space for an all too real wanting. It wasn't a look she was familiar with. Not really.

Two weeks had elapsed since her last meeting with Sesshōmaru, but her mind still reeled. He had wanted her. He was obsessed with her. And the biggest problem was that unbeknownst to her, she had been just as obsessed with him. The time she'd spent hiding away from him, horrified and confused by his touch, the heat in his eyes, had taught her that she was obsessed.  
She'd wanted him. She would have loved to tell it was solely the Mark's work, and perhaps it played a part, but she could tell it hadn't been. She might have pushed him away, but it was only because of Inuyasha intervening… Of Inuyasha intervening, that stopped them. She'd been so horrified, she'd literally fled back home, in her mother's soothing embrace.

Her mother, dear mama, thought she was upset. Like her sister Kagome was, when Inuyasha stomped over her feelings with little care. But it wasn't the same. From a clinical point of view she understood that despite everything she said and thought about the man, about the yōkai, she was very much attracted to him. Sango, who she hadn't seen for two weeks, had admitted she could understand that feeling. Even without a mark binding her to him, Sango thought Inuyasha's older brother was very handsome. Chiharu did definitely agree with the other girl on that. Sesshōmaru was quite tall, broad-shouldered and had a square, marble-cut jaw with high aristocratic cheekbones and long silver lashes. She had noticed before that those lashes would brush against his cheeks when he blinked, and she'd wonder if they would be as feathery light as they looked. He was even more handsome than Arjun, a boy she was seeing, was. It confused her. It irritated her.

The preternatural gracefulness Sesshōmaru moved with, was not meant to be admired but only meant to be feared. So why, while she actually knew how dangerous the full-blooded yōkai was, did she actually entertain such silly thoughts about him? Whatever desire that had borne from his obsessive nature, shouldn't have affected her. And obsessive he was.

She curled her toes and grumbled under her breath.

Remembering the way he looked was not the worst part though. Some dreams had little to do with appreciating his beauty. Even the memory made her cheeks flush. Ever since their last meeting, she would remember the way his body moulded to hers like a magnet. His angles strangely corresponding to all her (barely-there) curves.

It send strange thrills of fear and excitement down her spine. It's enticing, dangerous and— wrong.

She just couldn't understand why it had to be him.

She rubbed her thighs together, searching for friction, and momentarily buried her flushed face in her pillow. When she turned around again, Chiharu's face was flushed a dark red. She had never dreamed of something like that before. She could still feel the phantom lips hot against her stomach and she shot straight up in bed. She licked her lips and reminded herself of the reasons why she had told him off.

Chiharu turned to her side and hugged her pillow to her chest. Pressing her thighs together.

The yellow plastic alarm clock on her wooden nightstand ticked noisily and she groaned before sitting up. Her hair was messily framing her heart-formed face and her bi-coloured eyes shone in the darkness. The house, so far away from the busy road, is silent, yet the sound of the cars and the people was loud in her ears. For almost a year her ears and eyes had sharpened and yet, she was still unused to her senses. So many things still confused her. The mark, barely noticeable against the column of her pale throat sometimes itched and it was still pinkish as if irritated.

Even beyond the well, Sesshōmaru's influence continued.

Grumbling under her breath again, she swung her legs over the side of her bed and stomps barefoot to the window. Outside the air is grey with a soft drizzle and she peers at the rivets of water running down the still surface of the window. With a soft hiss, she settled on the slightly too-small-window sill and wrapped her arms around her knees.

She'd been fifteen when she followed her sister through the well and swapped the twentieth century for the sixteenth. To fight Yōkai and find the pieces of the Shikon-No-Tama her older sister accidentally broke to safe a pour human child from a grazed yōkai. It was how Chiharu met Inuyasha the grumpy Inu-Hanyō, Sango the Tajija with her alley Kirara, Mirōku the Hōshi with his cursed hand and Shippō the little fox-kit. The little band of misfits, which her mother fondly called the 'shard-hunters' trekked around ancient Japan in order to find as many Shikon Jewel shards and bring down the ominous and always elusive Naraku.

Even with Naraku lurking in the shadows and tainting people's life, ancient Japan was in many ways beautiful. Yet, Ancient Japan was also where Chiharu had met Sesshōmaru, Inuyasha's hated and obsessive half-brother. The Daiyōkai who, in a scheme to get his hands on Inuyasha's prized sword Tetsusaiga, had bitten (marked really) her and had changed her essence. She was his walking talking experiment. But with the mark, a mating bond of some sorts, came a quickly changing metabolism. Her healing rate went up and her body and skin became tougher, less fragile. It seemed somewhat like a pleasant side effect, but Chiharu didn't think it was. The mark made her vulnerable. He could affect her with it, could control her with it. Control her feelings and her thoughts and she just wasn't sure what thoughts were hers and what was driven by Sesshōmaru's obsessive need to control her.

At some point, it just became too much. Sesshōmaru demanded she would be at his back and call, like some kind of trophy wife (but then without the wife-part) and with her friends' lives hanging in the balance, she didn't think she had any other choice than leaving. There was no Sesshōmaru in present time.

There was no dictator-yōkai setting about to ruin her life. She could be normal and enjoy her teenage years. Even if she missed her friends and her sister. She missed the relationship she had with her sister and wanted to see Shippō-chan again.

And she missed _him_ too—

With an irritated sigh, she peered at her reflection. She had a pale heart-formed face with one brown and one blue eye. Her long dark hair, straight with slightly wavy ends was tousled from all the tossing and her cheeks were flushed. She didn't think there was much remarkable about her except for her the bi-coloured eyes — a trait that had tourists falling over themselves to take pictures with her — and she pressed her lips together. Apart from the mark he shouldn't have wanted her like that at all…

 **I-I. ⌡. Γ┐**

It was a slow trek up the slippery shrine steps, her polka-dotted umbrella leaning in the crook of her elbow. Her bag with textbooks rhythmically beat against her back and rain pelted down on the stretched material of her umbrella and the sides of her shoulders. The rain was relentless, drenching her white socks and making feet sop into her simple sneakers. She couldn't find it in her to care and slowly, umbrella swaying and rain stinging against her cheek, searched through her raincoat's pockets. Before she could even open the lock, the front door sprang open and Mrs Higurashi, armed with her bright purple grocery bag and a large umbrella, stepped out.

"Chiharu-chan," she greeted, "you're home early, I thought you were going to see Arjun-kun?"

Arjun Nori was a seventeen-year-old High school senior. He was gentle and kind with large brown eyes and a sharp jaw. Essentially, he was every girl's dream. He had been her dream-man for a while, but as time passed by, she realised, choosing a human to start a relationship with, wasn't fair. No matter how much she'd initially liked him, it just wasn't fair—

"Yes," she admitted, "I was, but, well, he's starting to see this other girl—"

"Oh Honey,"

"No," Chiharu shook her head, dislodging the water clinging to the ends of her hair, "it's okay. Going after him would be unfair anyway."

Her mother looked at her with something akin to pity and Chiharu blew a damp lock of hair out of her face. "Can I go inside? I'm getting kind of cold."

"Right, of course,"

Her school uniform was sticking to her like a second skin and her raincoat, which was supposed to be waterproof, dripped water down on the wooden floor. Her nose twitched when she recognised Inuyasha's scent and—

"Inuyasha is here to see you." Her mother explained.

"Right," she nodded, dropping her rucksack below the coat rack in the entrance hall, took her water-bottle out and crossed the hall towards the living room.

"Do you want me to take something out of the convenience store?" Her mother asked,

"No," Chiharu shook her head, "No, I'm fine."

The door fell closed behind her with a thud. Inuyasha was seated on the cream couch, legs crossed and hands leaning on his knees. A cup he might have used to eat Ramen, sat on the edge of the white wooden table in front of the couch and on a bannister on the right side of the light room, several photographs of the Higurashi family stood. Her eyes were automatically drawn to the young man with the two small girls on his lap and she shook her head.

Inuyasha stared at her with large amber eyes and Chiharu smiled tightly.

"Hi,"

He made a noncommittal sound and she sat down on the creme-coloured sofa adjacent to the couch. He threw her a white plait her mother kept around for visitors to sit on and she wrapped it around her slightly-shivering form.

"Thanks. How are things going?"

Inuyasha shrugged, the muscles in his neck tensing and silver hair cascading down his shoulders. "Naraku has a new incarnation: Hakūdoshi. He's a pain."

"I see," she whispered, she felt his youki wash over her and her own youki responded. Ever since that day a bit more than a year ago, she had gotten the metabolism equal to that of a weasel's. She sniffed dedicatedly and peered into his face. He was openly staring at her, a small frown furrowing his silver eyebrows and the white dog-ears on top of his head twitched.

"You smell different."

"I do?"

"Hn,"

She stiffened. It was a silly thing to do, but she couldn't help it. Her jaws snapped together with an audible crunch and her shoulder-blades locked stiffly together. He didn't seem to notice, hands itching and her eyes were drawn to the encrusted dark brown dirt under his talons. She's pretty sure they are remnants of blood.

"How are things between you and Kagome-Nee-chan?"

She knew how things were between him and Kagome. Ever since Kagome-chan had learned of the drunken and not at all romantic kiss Inuyasha had given her when they'd staggered around in the forest near the little village of Edo.

"Your mother mentioned a boy?"

She might have imagined the bitter undertone to that question. His amber eyes flashed. She might not have imagined the bitter undertone.

"Yes," she admitted, "but he's— it will never work. He's nice, pretty and most of all, he's human. It— it just won't work."

"Human?"

"I think—" she started, rubbing her fingers across her temples, "no, I _noticed_ I don't age much."

He leant further forward his knee bumping hers. "I'm not—"

"Nee-chan develops much faster than I do." She finally decided on. Just like any girl her age Kagome had started to outgrow her childlike features. The only stubborn chubby fat that remained was clinging to her stomach, but other than that she was becoming very pretty. Chiharu wasn't necessarily not pretty. She was just not so developed. She was thin and tiny. Her mother called her willowy.

Inuyasha's cheeks had turned an interesting tint of pink. "Er—"

"You age slower than the average human right?"

"Yes," he agreed, latching on the change of subject — eager to leave female development behind — and he shifted. He appraised her with an impressively impatient sneer, thinking hard before: "I've outlived several people already."

He seemed to realise what he'd just said and his ears flattened on top of his head. "'Suppose it's very likely you'll outlive the average human."

"Yeah, that's what I thought. So a human is not really an option."

His face twisted in a harsh, unforgiving scowl and she took a measured gulp of her water bottle. "Inuyasha, we're tiptoeing around the subject. We both know you came here for a reason. And it wasn't to talk to me about boys and other more embarrassing subjects."

"—No," he nodded, "—I'm here to take your sorry arse back through the well."

"Really now?"

"Yeah, ain't that right."

"Your brother—" she started hesitantly. Of all the things and the humiliating and confusing feelings, she was rather afraid of him. Ever since he'd smelled Arjun's scent on her after a kiss they'd, she'd seen a fury and possessiveness that had scared her. It might have been the same heated look that turned her on in the privacy of her bedroom, it did also scare her.

"You promised you would help to collect the jewel shards." He told her matter-of-factly, rolling the sleeves of his red haori up his forearms. "And you might keep the ones we've collected so far, Naraku's still not defeated."

"I thought you lot didn't need me."

"At least you know how to fight."

It was the closest thing to a compliment, coming from Inuyasha's mouth and she pursed her lips. It was also not really all that true. She could handle herself. Knew some hand-to-hand combat and was a decent archer, but compared to Sango or Mirōku she didn't hold a candle.

Chiharu sucked her cheeks between her molars and pursed her lips. "Thanks,"

Inuyasha shrugged his shoulders carelessly and she took a granola bar from the bowl on the dining table and offered him one too. He waited for her to scrunch up the wrapper and followed her example before biting down at the gooey chocolate. He threw the wrapper on the table and she curled her legs under her.

"Your brother—"

"We haven't seen him since your fall out with him."

"He hasn't been around," she mumbled, her eyebrows furrowing together, "I— I need to think about it."

"What's there to think about?" He snapped annoyed.

"I've not been feeling so well." She mumbled awkwardly. It wasn't entirely untrue and Chiharu leant her elbows on her knees.

"Bullshit."

She exhaled and flopped backwards. It was bullshit. Being excited — sexually speaking — was one thing, but being scared of what she would do, was stupid. She looked at Inuyasha again. His skin pale and shallow, hair lanky framing his face and amber eyes missing their usual bite. After searching for Naraku, the Hanyō who'd made so many enemies, they'd tracked him down to St Hakurei (again). The holy shield around the mountain was still going strong, and it was only after Kikyō convinced Saint Hakushin to dissolve the barrier, Naraku's miasma corrupted the mountain, turning the once rich vegetation into a barren wasteland and making it take a very jagged, rough appearance. The yōkai, that had hidden inside the mountain, started to emerge from the caves now that they could escape without being purified. Kikyo was the first to face Naraku in his new form, and lost, falling to her death.

Inuyasha was devasted. Not had he lost his first love once, but now twice. She curled her arms around her legs and leaned her chin on her knees. "How have you been doing?"

Sorrow-filled eyes met hers and the muscles in her stomach twisted painfully.

"I'm sorry,"

"It ain't your fault."

"No," she admitted, running her fingers through her hair. "I don't know how to deal with your brother."

"He won't force you."

Chiharu snorted. The last time she'd seen him, he was certainly about to. Or at least he'd lost himself to his jealousy and she had never been so afraid. Afraid of what would happen, but above all, afraid of what she'd wanted that day. She cradled her burning face in her hands and bit down on her lower lip. Yet, in a moment of pure adrenaline and worry, her power had rippled through her, pushing him back and she, coward that she was, ran away. That had been weeks ago. She supposed now that he had reigned the control back over himself, she might be safe.

"Kagome sent me to talk to you about the Mark."

"What?"

"You know—" he started awkwardly, pointing at her neck. At the puckered pink skin at the base of her neck and she traced her fingers over the soft scarred tissue. Normally, if there was one topic of conversation Inuyasha never had been willing to pursue it had been that. Or girl problems. He and Mirōku both got amusedly flustered when the topic girl-problems was broached.

"I know,"

 _To be continued..._

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 **A/N: Next update upcoming Thursday^^.**

 **Leave a review!**


	33. Chapter 32, The Pact

**A/N: A bit too late, I am sorry** **about that. I've been terribly busy with school lately and I don't have as much time to write as I'd like, but I'm almost done with the school year. Then there was the part that I wasn't done with the next chapter, thinking that was the one I had to upload while this one was all done and ready, waiting to be published. Very stupid I know, but I hope you'll enjoy this chapter anyway.**

 **To my reviewers, thank you very much for your words of encouragement and kindness. To my guest readers, to whom I can't reply, thank you for your thoughts and I'm glad you like Chiharu's characterization (to Shay), I try my best on everyone:).  
And to anonymous: you're right that Kikyō mostly liked his human side the most, but in the manga as well as in the anime he has trouble with getting over her. To be honest, I think it would have been better if Inuyasha found someone who did look nothing like his past love, that way he might stop comparing Kagome to Kikyō all the time. And yes, to Chiharu's way of thinking Sesshōmaru's an arse, but for the 16th century, it was just how life was. It is another reason why they take their sweet time getting closer...**

 **That will change though.**

 **Please, like always leave a review^^ Next chapter is almost done and will be updated on the normal Thursday.**

 **And on with the story! Enjoy^^**

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 **o.O.o**

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 **Chapter Thirty-Two, The Pact**

 **R** ain fell against the house in crazy, chaotic drops, sliding in rivets down the windows. The light bulb in the centre of the room buzzed softly and Chiharu propped her feet up at the coffee table, trying, and failing, to give off an air of uncaring. Inuyasha sat adjacent to her, his silver hair falling down his shoulders, a sharp contrast to the blood-red haori he always wore and his fingers nervously pulled at a loose threat at his sleeve. Everything about his demeanour screamed uncertainty and Chiharu felt her fingers curl tightly into the green plates of her school skirt.

"There's something you don't know." Inuyasha gruffly explained, amber eyes looking anywhere but at her. "You know it's not complete, right?"

"The mark?" She asked, eyebrows furrowing together. "I know."

"No, you don't know. Do you understand how, in what way it can be completed?"

"Inuyasha, I'm not stupid." She whispered softly, feeling her cheeks heat up. "Shippō and Myōga both mentioned it. I understand it needs, erm, sexual intercourse."

The silence that followed that statement felt somewhat heavy and oppressing. From the other room, the theme song of A Nightmare on Elm Street was playing and Chiharu listened to her younger brother's horrified breaths. She doubted their mother was aware of Sōta's latest obsession with scary movies and stretched her back against the sofa. Inuyasha seemed to be still looking for words. It was unlike him to choose his words carefully and she watched the jumble of emotions pass over his face.

"Yes," he finally mumbled, his face turning as red as his haori, "I am aware you know about that. I do not mean that though."

"What _do_ you mean?"

"It will get worse," he whispered with a clinical sort of detachment. "It will get far worse. Sesshōmaru knows that too."

"Inuyasha, you're not making any sense."

His cheeks turned even redder than his haori and she shifted in her seat, fingers spasming around the hem of her skirt, nails digging into the pale skin of her legs. Suddenly aware what he tried to say. Not because his explanation (or attempt of an explanation) had been very clear, she just suddenly understood. During biology, they had recently discussed the pull pheromones had. She assumed that that was what he meant. The mating pull, the mark that had scarred pink on the junction of her neck, was so to assure offspring. Like how regular dogs followed a female when in heat, would they full a similar pull as well. Her face must have been matching his and she tried to take a slow, deep, staggering breath.

A shot of cool summer air breezed through the living room, ruffling the heavy drapes and fluttering a lock of her loose, damp hair.

"Is this Mark a lifelong commitment?" She asked finally, reluctant to start a conversation about intercourse. She knew she couldn't get rid of it, as too much of her own biology was already altered, but she had thought at some point the downright ridiculous pulls and tingles would stop.

Inuyasha nodded. His face still red, but he seemed content to not start about the required sexual intercourse. "It is until my Bastard brother would deem someone else worthy or until one of you dies."

She swallowed and shifted again until she was sitting cross-legged in the centre of the sofa. "Well, then that means I'll just have to ignore him until he eventually finds a worthy mate and— ensures offspring."

"Yeah, well, until he does, you'll be the only candidate."

"Excuse me,"

"Do you really still not understand?" He asked annoyed. "That's what _mating_ means."

Chiharu froze, fingertips brushing over the smooth surface of her water-bottle and her mouth slacked open. Did he mean she couldn't be intimate with anyone other than her _mate_? Inuyasha sure made it sound like that, but that made absolutely no sense. She'd kissed Arjun. And moreover—

Steeping her fingers together and ignoring the spark of hysterical nerves jittering through her she shook her head. "But I haven't even started menstruating."

He gave her a look as if he wordlessly wanted to convey that if that was the way this conversation would go he kill it prematurely. She bit her lip and pressed her fingers against her lips. He might not have been exactly comfortable with the subject, but it was the truth. While Kagome had been late with her fifteen and three months, Chiharu still hadn't had her first menstruation cycle. Their mother, although never saying it out loud, was rather worried, but going to a regular human doctor for a check-up wasn't really an option available to her.

"I'm— I'm sorry, do continue." She muttered awkwardly, squeezing her eyes shut.

"Well—" he muttered, ears fluttering and twitching, "It's just like we thought. You have no idea about the mating bond."

She felt a muscle in her cheek pop. " _We_? Exactly with whom have you been discussing my— well, for lack of a better description, my fucking sex life?"

"Just Myōga." Inuyasha snapped, a faint tinge of red dusting his cheeks.

More aggressively than necessary, she unscrewed her water bottle and took large gulps of water. As if large amounts of water would make this subject magically go away. She wished, not for the first time, that she could go to a gym and vent off some frustration. That too was not an option. The youki in her system ensured inhuman strength and she suspected people would notice if she punched a punchbag across the gym.

"Just—" he sighed, "why can't you just go back with me and ask Myōga?"

"Because that would be such a lovely conversation…"

"You mean as opposed to this one?"

Her lower lip felt raw from all the biting and she wrapped her arms around her middle. "I think I get what you mean."

"Do you?"

"To summarise it, the youki, the Mating Mark, overrides common sense and pulls us together. It's, honestly, it's not really all that new I suppose. I should have figured it out by now there would be a sexual quantity to it as well. I knew he could manipulate or connection like _that_ already, so—"

"He tried something?" He hissed and she was reminded of an angry mother duck ruffling its feathers when you came too close to one of its young."

"He demonstrated his dominance, so to say." She admitted, not seeing a reason to lie to him. "He has never done anything to me."

"Not really," she mumbled softly, rolling her fingers over her temples.

Except for that day by the well. When _something_ had started to simmer in her blood and he, furious as he was, dug his claws into the sensitive flesh of her upper arms. Never too hard to really wound, but still hard enough to sting. She'd felt the echo of something race through her, pull at her, as he possessively pressed her against him. The sharp edges of his breastplate painful against her unprotected chest and she had tried to push him away. She had, but as his mouth slanted over the mark on her neck she'd felt a horrible sense of belonging, the beginnings of pleasure finding its way up her spine.

She hissed and wrenched her face away, ignoring his fingers trailing down the side of her neck, down her back and settling on the curve of her lower back, just above her backside. He pinned her against the harsh bark of a tree and traced the curvature of her cartilage with his tongue. Her breath hitched as clawed fingers pushed the hem of her haori aside and grazed the skin of her hip and abdomen. Her muscles gave an involuntary jerk and she felt her face grow hot.

'Sesshō—' she started, fingers curling into the shoulders of his haori.

His mouth hovered above her ear, warm breath fanning out over the sensitive lobe. Her face grew even hotter.

'You are mine,'

And with that, he pressed his mouth against the underside of her jaw. Fangs grazing the sensitive skin and her fingers curled into his shoulders, gasping lightly. It didn't feel bad and she ignored the contracting of abdominal muscles. She whimpered, her head lolling submissively to the side and inhaled deeply.

'—Mine,' he whispered against her neck before slowly dragging his lips up to her neck and leaned into her.

She angled her head and then she remembered herself. Just as his mouth claimed hers, she braced her open palms against his chest and her reiki sparked through her bloodstream. She ignored the almost-pleasant feelings

Her breathing laboured and she used his surprise as a momentum, she must have, how else could she have pushed him away. He didn't stumble, but his surprise was all she needed. She got only a second to look him into the eyes, but his expression chilled her to the bone.

Hands on the obi at his waist he stepped towards her again and she pushed off against the tree, ignoring the painful jolt of pain as her cheek grazed a sharp branch and all but threw herself into the well.

"—STUPID GIRL!"

"Wha—"

"For Fuck' sake!"

She felt her face flush and she shook her head. She wondered how Inuyasha would feel if he knew she entertained more than once dreamed to be intimate with his detested half-sibling? While not exactly best friends, she knew they shared a connection. A friendship and a kinship she cherished, but she couldn't help the fantasies. Rather embarrassing ones as well as she vividly remembered phantom thighs and muscular forearms where her nails could dig into for purchase.

She groaned, curling her toes into her shoes.

"I'm sorry,"

"What?"

He averted his eyes and carefully peered at his face. "I'm sorry. I know it is partly my fault."

"Inuyasha," she slowly started, shaking her head to clear them of any inappropriate thoughts, "it's not your fault!"

It was not anyone's fault. She let her fingertips trail over the puckered flesh of the mark and she sighed. At first, she hadn't understood what it meant. Thought it would disappear and heal in time, but it didn't. The pulse of belonging, the power of the bond, Chiharu often felt it throbbing through her magic. It was like a soul-bond, linking her and Sesshōmaru. It made sense that sexual intercourse, or urge to participate in sexual intercourse, truly wasn't so far fetched.

"No one is to blame. No one, but your brother. And even he—"

"Keh, I don't think the Bastard realised this would happen either."

"No," she admitted, studying the label on her water bottle, "but it's still his fault. He did this just to annoy you and I suppose I could have overlooked it— I did overlook it you know, but I don't want to be attracted to someone just because of some bond…"

"Sexual— erm attraction and attraction are not the same," Inuyasha muttered before jumping to his feet and storming to the door, obviously embarrassed about the conversation. She watched him go with a frown and rubbed her hands together.

"Sexual attraction and attraction are not the same?" She muttered confused and flopped backwards, her hair sprawling around her. "Thanks for that one, Inuyasha, really appreciated."

It wasn't as if she wasn't already confused enough.

Running her fingers over her temples she slowly slid off the sofa and stalked over to the hall, towards the stairs. She carefully looked inside the drawing room, which had been dubbed the children's room years ago, where Sōta was propped up on a stool. The soundtrack of Nightmare on Elm Street was blaring from the television and Chiharu curled a long lock of dark hair around her fingers. She knew the rating of the movie was not exactly child-friendly, but with all the gore and horror she'd seen in Sengoku-jidai, the bloody effects of the movie seemed laugh-worthy. Shaking her head, she started to move up the stairs to her bedroom, already unbuttoning her blouse.

Her trusty bow and arrows lay in the corner as if silently beckoning to start making use of them again and the fang she had still been learning to fight with, stood against her desk. She still went through the process of oiling it every night. Dropping her damp blouse and skirt to the floor, she groaned again, wrapped herself in a fluffy bathrobe and dropped back onto her bed. The family cat growled in agitation at being jostled awake and she carefully picked him up and settled him on her lap.

"What to do Buyo?" She asked softly, running her fingers gently through the cat's soft fur. The cat looked up at her with large yellow eyes, purring softly in appreciation of the attention, but of course, the big cat didn't answer. "Really, what am I supposed to do?"

I-I. ⌡. Γ┐

Naraku the spider hanyō stepped forwards preparing his newest creation. Around him, large hubs of flesh made out the ceiling and the walls. The bubbled with energy and a dark aura permeated around his hiding place. It was shockingly cold and the flesh on his fingers crawled as if trying to reject their new host. In the past few months he had grown so much stronger, yet, he still needed more. The holy power of the large fragment Shikon jewel was almost completely extinguished, but he still missed the shards Kagome's sister possessed.  
He grimaced. Sesshōmaru's Miko girl. If she only had been human there was nothing to worry about, but with Sesshōmaru's power running through her, the girl could be a menace. As if holy powers weren't already irritating enough, the girl could also quickly regenerate and had a large amount of youki. His fingers closed tightly around the jewel and he beckoned Kanna to come nearer. His first incarnation didn't need many words and she stoically showed him the silvery ornate mirror. The girl, she was pretty, not elegantly pretty like Kikyō or girly like the loud-mouthed Kagome, but a happy feminine pretty that he could appreciate. She was sitting into the hot water of a Hot-spring, her bow and arrows dry on a high boulder and the sword he'd seen her fight with behind her on the bank. She was scrubbing away the mud on her legs, her head cradled in the milky water. The heat seemed to almost cradle her.

"The girl," Naraku whispered. The men behind him stared wordlessly at the mirror. He wished he had a more competent staff to work with. "I need her alive."

"She's—"

"Yes," Naraku admitted, "she's dangerous, but she's not invincible." He pulled out the specially made sutra and slowly turned towards the yōkai. "This will temporarily incapacitate her. But mark my words, it's only temporarily."

He turned his face back to the mirror. The girl was ducking her head under the water, attempting to yank out the knots and the stuck leaves out of her hair. When he got his hands on the last shards, he would crush all of his enemies.

"Why do you want the girl alive?"

"She will play an important role." The girl could be useful in drawing Sesshōmaru out. A death girl would not draw a bargaining Sesshōmaru out. "Leave now."

He listened to their footfalls fading and glared at the mirror's reflection. She was standing in the water now, a large towel wrapped around her nude form. She was running her fingers through her damp hair and whistling a merry tune. Steam rose from the milky water and the girl dipped her toes of her right foot into the warm spring.

"You won't know what hit you, little Doppelgänger." He whispered, watching as the girl's face lost its serenity and the cursed Monk was whacked on his head for his philandering ways. He watched the girl for a moment longer before he waved Kanna away. By using her, he could kill two birds with one stone. His lips curled into a sinister smile and he moved further into the cave he used as his hiding-place.

 _To be continued..._

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 **A/N: Next update upcoming Thursday^^.**

 **Leave a review!**


	34. Chapter 33, the return

**A/N: Like always I absolutely love your reviews! So thank you so much! ^.^**

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 **o.O.o**

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 **Chapter Thirty-three, The Return**

 **I** t was a chilly September morning when Chiharu finally relented and followed her almost frantic sister through the well. After stuffing the last of her belongings in Kagome's yellow backpack, she changed into the red-and-white Miko garb she always wore. It was still early and a soft mist covered the grounds, swallowing greens of the leaves of the underbrushes and the grasses. The shrine-door stood ajar and creaked when the two sisters pushed past it and Chiharu hesitated on the last step, peering intently at the ancient well.

"Chiharu-chan?" Kagome slowly asked, pushing her dark raven hair out of her face.

"Yes, I'm sorry Onee-sama, I'm okay."

Kagome nodded, adjusted her red scarf and jumped into the well. The warm pale radiance that engulfed her after dropping off the edge of the ancient well, was a welcome reprieve and she sighed gratefully when the solid dirt gently appeared under her feet again. Finding handholds in the ivy growing wildly over the weathered walls, she began to climb.

The large branches of Gōshinbōku fluttered in the early autumn wind, leaves already falling and Chiharu inhaled deeply. The clean scent of nature surging through her lungs. It was good to be back.

"Chiharu-chan," Kagome started, heaving the large monstrous backpack over the rim of the well and groaned.

"Do you need help, Onee-chan?" Chiharu asked, offering her older sister a hand, but the eldest Higurashi twin resolutely shook her head.

"No, just, I need to warn you."

"About what?"

"Inuyasha has been in a wretched mood ever since— well since Kikyō disappeared. And I know you have some uncanny patience, but—"

"Give him as wide a berth as I possibly can?"

"Yeah, pretty much."

"Sure," she agreed and started to fasten the straps of her scabbard at her hip. She hadn't exactly practised her swordsmanship, but the tinge of power brushing at the edges of her senses was familiar enough. They descended down the sunny slope towards the little village.

In many ways, the modern world was Chiharu's home. It was where she was born and where she'd grown up until she'd turned fifteen, yet, Sengoku-jidai had become her home. She felt trapped, afraid and most of all, the line she'd drawn so many months ago had slowly started to fade. Things just weren't so black-and-white anymore. In present-day Japan, she had her family; her grandfather, mother and little brother, who loved her. There were no yōkai after the Shikon-No-Tama, no Sesshōmaru out for her blood—

If only things were as black-and-white again.

Her return to Edo, mainly seeing Shippō, Sango and Mirōku again, went seamlessly. Chiharu felt bad when she realised nor the Taijia nor the Hōshi blamed her for staying away and Shippō paddled over for what seemed like much-needed affection. They were all happy to see her.

While Inuyasha wanted to leave almost immediately, the small group decided it was not wise. Although they spent the first two hours discussing plans to move forward and find the last few shards left, Mirōku wasn't well enough to travel. During a recent attack, he'd used his windtunnel and 'swallowed' a large swarm of poisonous wasps and the black-flash wave of one of Naraku's yōkai had broken his arm. He hadn't been feeling well ever since.

Kaede told them point blank it wasn't wise for him to travel.

Therefore, Chiharu, Sango and Kagome spent the majority of their days helping Kaede-sama around the village. The elderly woman might have been in good shape, age was also beginning to take its toll on her. Initially, she'd helped Kagome and Sango cleaning Kaede's hut — scrubbing and sweeping — but ended up on following Kaede-sama around, tending to the sick. Her fast metabolism ensured she had too much energy. It was what made sitting through classes such a chore and it didn't help during or after cleaning either. At least with looking after the sick, Chiharu used her reiki. An energy that wasn't running through her body in endless portions, therefore, at least it tired her enough so that she could sleep well at night.

The villagers were still wary of her. After all this time, they still worried about her so-called loyalties, but with her extended knowledge from the future, no one dared to speak about their worries out loud. The village square bustled with activity that morning. Women carrying straw baskets full of vegetables and farmers wheeling carts full of Kabocha.

The weather was surprisingly pleasant that day, with sunlight spilling out over the huts and warming the ground on which Chiharu walked. She held a straw basket full of gauzes and listened as Kaede-sama checked on the villagers. Several women needed Kaede's special salve and Chiharu scrunched her nose up at the scent.

"It does wonders in getting pregnant," Kaede explained as she led Chiharu down the village square. The quiver with arrows bounced unpleasantly against her back and she curled her fingers in the hems of her sleeves.

"—Uh,"

"Of course, now is not the time for yeh young ladies." Kaede decided thoughtfully and Chiharu ran her tongue across her teeth.

"Okay," she muttered, awkwardly rubbing her hands together.

"How have you been fairing, child?"

"All right," Chiharu retorted, "I'm fine, I think."

The older woman peered down at her with a frown. Her grey hair was tousled by the wind and her cheeks had reddened from her day's work.

"I'm fine, really!"

Why did everyone think she was suddenly going to break? Readjusting her hold on the bottles of Kaede's special salves, she blew a lock of hair out of her face. "Naraku's influence isn't reaching Edo yet?"

Kaede's brow furrowed. She obviously caught Chiharu's attempt to change the subject but after a moment of hesitation, the elderly woman rolled her shoulders. "No, not Naraku's at least."

Sometimes Chiharu was prone to forget that, although yōkai brought forth the worst deaths and fears, they were not the only creatures out for blood. Her history books didn't call it the age of warring states for nothing. Even without the yōkai, the 16th hundredths were marked by social upheaval, political intrigue and near constant military conflict over land, property and influence. She had no idea what year they were in exactly, but she roughly suspected the end of the Sengoku period was near.

Staring at Kaede she doubted it made that much of a difference to her. Even without the bandits and mercenaries, she was already old.

"Oi, Chiharu!"

She whipped around dropping the gauze and the salves she was holding and frowned when she noticed that Inuyasha was only a few metres away from her. She hadn't even realised he'd come up behind her. "Something wrong?"

"No," he stated, looking as if he was biting his tongue and she cocked her head to the side. She'd never known Inuyasha to bite his tongue about anything.

"Than what is it?"

"Everyone is ready to go." He told her and her frown deepened. Mirōku had still been running a fever that morning and his left arm hung in a linen sling. She peered into the distance at the Hōshi's form. At least he was standing on his own, without the help of a makeshift crutch, but she doubted travelling was the wisest decision right now.

"Is Mirōku okay? I mean, is he really well enough to travel?"

"He's fine. Good enough to travel and we have daylight to burn." He told her curtly and she nodded slowly.

"All right," she conceded slowly and followed Inuyasha to Kaede's hut. The sun gleamed low in the purple sky and slowly descended behind the tall pine trees in the West.

The others were already there, seated around slightly flickering coals in the fireplace. Mirōku was still pale and was peering unseeingly into the embers of the fireplace and Sango shot him a worried glance. She could see he was nowhere fit enough to travel. And if Kagome's irritated face was any indication, she knew it too.

"Inuyasha,"

"Keh, don't Inuyasha me, Kagome!" He snapped annoyed.

"I don't think Mirōku is well enough to travel at all, Inuyasha! Look at his face." Chiharu interrupted, cutting their would-be-argument short before it had even started. She carefully picked a china cup up from the floor and set it down in front of her.

"I am fine, Chiharu-sama."

"Oh, yes, you are, you're arm is only broken and you look as if you'll pass out any moment, but of course you are fine." She drawled sarcastically, adding some tea leaves.

"I'd almost forgotten how fluently sarcasm you spoke."

"Chiharu-chan is right, Inuyasha." Sango decided, her left hand hovering above her boomerangbone. "If we wait a few more days, Hōshi-sama will feel better."

Mirōku shifted, his staff jangling softly, and paled. "I— I think the ladies are right. I am not feeling all right."

"Surprise there," Chiharu muttered, pouring steaming hot water over the tea leaves in a small cup. Nothing settled her nerves better than a good hot cup of green tea.

"I can't believe this!" Inuyasha snapped. "Naraku is on the loose again and now you all want to stay here?"

"Inuyasha," Kagome started soothingly, "Mirōku is hurt. We have to be careful with him."

Inuyasha snorted before stomping out of the hut. Chiharu watched her friends over the rim of her teacup for a few more moments before shifting. "Well, that went well. Anyone fancy a cup of tea? If not then I'll be going back to helping Kaede-sama."

"Mirōku needs his rest anyway," Kagome admitted already getting to her feet, about to follow after the sour Hanyō.

"Right," Chiharu muttered, taking large gulps of hot tea, "well, then try to sleep."

"Chiharu-sama!" Mirōku suddenly hissed. She stopped in front of the window, staring out over the small marketplace and the large marshy rice fields, before turning around to face the Hōshi. He had propped himself up on his good arm, laying on his tatami.

"Mirōku?"

He looked at her with a grave expression and Sango passed her with a small, sympathetic smile: "If he tries anything, don't be afraid to use Hiraikotsu to wallop him."

"Sango-sama!"

"Sure thing, Sango-chan."

Sango left the hut with firm steps, actually leaving her large weapon at the door and Chiharu gave Mirōku an amused look. "Did you try something on the village girls again?"

"How could I?" Mirōku huffed. "I'm hurt."

"That doesn't necessarily say anything with you." She muttered before sitting down in front of him, twiddling her toes. "What did you want to discuss with me?"

"Inuyasha told me about you and Sesshōmaru-sama."

"I can't believe this!" Chiharu huffed. "Are you two seriously going to take turns in how to thoroughly embarrass me? Or did you get Yōkai sexual advice from Myōga too? I know it was him who told Inuyasha about the mark and stuff."

"Embarrassing you was not my intention, Chiharu-sama. Though I didn't have to speak to Myōga though. I've known about Yōkai customs It's just, Inuyasha has trouble understanding why you would let him court you."

"I don't want him to court me—"

'I want to do all kind of other stuff with him, but I don't want to court him,' her mind added unhelpfully and she felt her cheeks heat up.

"Attraction is a natural thing," Mirōku told her matter-of-factly and she gave him the most murderous look she could muster. It was the only emotion strong enough to squash the shame coiling into her stomach. "That's the problem, isn't it? Because you, Chiharu-sama, are attracted to Inuyasha's older brother. There's no shame needed for that."

"Isn't there?"

"Chiharu-sama, you're sixteen, it's natural," Mirōku admitted. "And with your yōkai metabolism, it's especially natural if you want I could—"

"Right, goodbye, Mirōku."

He gave her a lecherous smile but still managed to hold his hands up in a surrendering manner. She glowered at him and got to her feet again. Leave it to Mirōku to use anything to get laid. She eyed Sango's weapon with a mix of anticipation and glee. It would probably be rather satisfying to wallop him with it. But of course, she couldn't do that, while he was hurt.

She left him, with that anticipatory grin he always wore when he got away with being lecherous and she stepped out of the hut too. Kagome was on the other side of the marketplace, helping one of the villagers. From the way her fingers spasmed around the large water jug, Chiharu suspected she and Inuyasha had quarrelled again.

Not in the mood to listen to any of their complaints she quickly crossed the marketplace, avoided her sister and trekked down the small, sand path towards the river. She'd only been back for a few days, but somewhere she'd expected him to make an appearance. If she'd learned anything of him, then that was that Sesshōmaru was a creature of habit. She couldn't say was displeased by his lack of visiting. She had grown rather tired of his demanding attitude, but—

Her fingers carefully smoothed over the mark on her neck. It was visible, even though it had healed nicely enough and she wondered, with the super-healing that had come with it, why it didn't heal. Every injury, sometimes far worse than the one on her neck, healed so nicely. It just didn't make sense the one on her neck didn't.

Even if it was a magical mark.

She ran a hand through tousled hair and shook her head. Perhaps some archery practice would ease her jarred nerves. She sure could use it…

 _To be continued…_

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 **A/N: All right, and here is chapter 33. I'll admit I cut it short just before the 'exciting' part started (I'm) sorry, but it got a bit too long. Really, far too long. Still, chapter 34 is so good as done therefore I'll update this Monday again.**

 **For my lovely reviewers, thank you for your comments. They're lovely and entertaining (like always). To my anonymous reviewer: yes, you're right. Kikyō and Kagome are mostly alike in looks and not much in personality, yet, Inuyasha probably still considers her as the first one who accepted him and who didn't judge him. Kagome, on the other hand, had no experience with yōkai, therefore, she is not biased with them. Inuyasha should give her a chance (and in his own way, he probably does), but I do think their relationship is not very healthy.**

 **Either way, I hope you all liked this chapter. With Mirōku giving 'sexual education' a shot and all. Either way, like always, let me know what you think!**

 **InuYasha does not belong to me, but to Rumiko Takashi.**


	35. Chapter 34, White child

**A/N: just like I promised: the new chapter. Enjoy! I will answer to all of your questions tomorrow or the day after tomorrow (when my internet is somewhat decent), but in the meantime, enjoy the chapter.**

 **Like always, thank you for all your comments! I appreciate them so much!**

 **InuYasha does not belong to me, but to Rumiko Takahashi.**

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 **o.O.o**

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 **Chapter Thirty-four, White child**

 **A** fter all of the time she had spent in the past, it was surprisingly easy to navigate through Sengoku jidai. That was, once she finally learned how to track and understand to navigate herself through the dense foliages of which the old Japan mostly consisted. Chiharu curled her fingers tightly around the straps of her bow, quiver and rucksack on her sun stood high in the sky and a gentle breeze played with her long dark hair.

They made their way through the forest, treading down the winding, familiar path. Chiharu sighed, taking Kagome large, monstrous yellow pack when her sister's breathing turned laboured. They travelled long, Inuyasha wanting to make up for the time they'd lost and Chiharu's senses were jittered, to say the least. She kept expecting Sesshōmaru to appear out of nowhere, but so far she didn't sense him. She did not even sense his stalking presence at the edge of her senses.

She sighed.

The trees had grown thinner and the land rockier when a lead on Naruku had turned up and then passed several villages. The land became harsher and they had to rest in the shadow of the rocks. What had started as a chilly early autumn morning had quickly made way for a late summer day. With the sun pouring down at their backs, they moved a lot slower and when the sunlight touched the mountain-rims, the path broke open to a valley. Chiharu watched as the humans of their group scrambled down the slope, several times losing their footing and she was glad when they found themselves into one of the lush forests Old-Japan had to offer again thirty minutes later. They passed thick, already wilting, flower-clustered Gloriosa Daisy thick with the soft hum of bees. The grass was brownish, yet still knee-high and trailed past her bare ankles.

Inuyasha moved swiftly through the forest, prancing wildly through the trees and his silver hair flailed around his face. He was leading the group along the bank of a river going West. Ever since Kikyō died — because although no one said it, everyone knew she had in fact not survived — the Inu-Hanyō had been in an understandable horrible mood. Chiharu curled her fingers tightly around the straps of Kagome's yellow pack and frowned. The resurrected Miko was struck down by his poisonous tentacles and Inuyasha couldn't have done anything else but watch her fall down the angry slope of the mountain to her doom.

There was little to no chance Kikyō had survived Naraku's Miasma and Inuyasha—

Inuyasha was once again intent to find the ominous Spider Hanyō.

He had once again escaped, separating with his heart, bestowing it on some infant-like yōkai Chiharu had never seen before. The group of Shard-hunters didn't even have to pursue it, as he and Kagura came to collect Kagome. Inuyasha, being too busy with searching for Kikyō wasn't there and as a result, they had to fight the humans and the yōkai that came for them, all alone. Even thinking about it, Chiharu felt fresh guilt flood through her. Although it all had ended well, with Kagome being rescued and the fight being won, the mood between Inuyasha and Kagome remained strained.

The Infant, with Kagura's help, got away and the group of Shard hunters followed it across the Southern border. Yet, Naraku remained one step ahead of them and they only found the infant when it was split in half during a battle with a Hōshi, the Head Monk of the Temple of Mangan. With his dying breath, the Hōshi had managed to split the child-like yōkai with his spiritual powers but got killed in the process. When they found the child again, he had grown and now went by the name Hakudōshi (Inuyasha called him a pain).

Sweat was beginning to slide down the nape of her neck and settled between her collarbones. The afternoon air was hazy with humidity and the sun burned against her skin. Puffing her cheeks up and exhaling noisily she raked her hands through her frizzy hair. Humidity and long thick hair did not go well together. Except clinging to her neck, she thought it looked more like a dead animal on her head than anything else. With practised ease, she pushed it up in a messy top knot and quickened her pace.

A soft wind rustled through the greenish foliage above and she inhaled softly.

The sun was quickly losing his height and descending behind the mountains. The heat of the day still palpable but at least more bearable. Inhaling the clean scents of Sengoku-jidai, she ventured absentmindedly under the canopy, slightly away from her friends.

Smiling wistfully, she traced her fingers past the rough bark of a tree and listened to soft sounds of water trickling, animals busying themselves around and the soft rustling of the wind. In the distance creatures, doe's and cows were grazing and she wondered briefly why they didn't move away when she neared but pushed that thought away again. They were under the shade of the trees after all, and she rolled her shoulders when she felt cool air caress her skin. A lake, completely in the shadows of the mountain winked invitingly at her.

How nice it would be to take a dip.

It would be—

She stilled. The birds had stilled so had the other wildlife. Suddenly a silence both unnatural and horrifyingly heavy fell upon her and she felt her fingers curl around the feathered end of one of her arrows. She knew something was coming and she stared around. A strong disturbing metallic scent suddenly wafted into the clearing and she quickly turned around, leaving the lake for what it was and followed the thick scent of blood.

It was a village. Corpses littered the floor and the huts of the village were on fire. Like usual the view was horrifying.

Her friends were already there. Inuyasha standing in front of the others; Tetsusaige transformed. Mirōku peered around worriedly, his left hand grasping at the beads around his cursed hand. Shippō was quivering, jumping away from Mirōku's shoulder and regained his usual perch atop Kagome's shoulder, she too held her weapon beneath a white-knuckled grasp. Sango, on the other hand, frowned, her head cocked to the side as if she was assessing the situation, yet, her hand had tightened around the strap of Hiraikotsu.

"Chiharu-chan!"

Chiharu nodded at her older sister. The sky had darkened with large hybrid bat-bird-like creatures, while two yōkai were circling above the roofs of the huts. A female with long dark hair, red eyes and a sadistic smirk was wielding a trident, send fire to the huts while her abominations shot down and used their pointy beaks to sever arteries and veins to drink their blood.

It was gruesome. Chiharu felt her face blanch and she pressed a trembling hand to her stomach before shaking herself out of her reverie and dodged one of the birds, twirled on her heels and used her bow to create a purifying shield, effectively catching the yōkai mid-flight. The human child it had followed fell to all fours, letting out a soft cry as his hands scraped across the pebbles, but at least he was safe.

Kagome released one of her arrows, cutting through the air before it lodged into the yōkai's stomach and started to purify it. The creature screeched loudly. The woman, her eyes cold and predatory sent a fiery breath towards Kagome and Inuyasha intercepted it before swinging the Tetsusaiga at her. Her capability to fly brought them in somewhat of a disadvantage and as she dodged and the Hanyō crashed into one of the relatively stable huts, disappearing in a cloud of dust and smoke.

Chiharu felt a muscle in her cheek strain and she notched an arrow firmly onto her bow and sent it to the female yōkai. She noticed it coming her way before it had reached her well enough and managed to dodge the flying projectile.

"You little—" she started angrily and Chiharu glared.

"Chiharu-sama!"

Mirōku's voice was the only warning she got before something hard and heavy slammed against her right shoulder. She fell hard, but the youki in her system did numb most forms of pain through battle and she quickly rolled over, staring up at a child. He was pale, with silver-white hair framing chubby cheeks and large lavender eyes. If it wasn't for the feral expression and Naraku's scent coming off him, she would have thought him a normal yōkai child.

"Hello there," he smiled almost serenely, holding a long naginata poised in front of him, "little girl."

"Inuyasha!" Kagome's voice hollered and Chiharu quickly got to her feet, her hand hovered anxiously above the hilt of her katana. She ignored her older sister's pleas to move away and stared the child down.

"Who are you?"

He smiled again. "The discarded white child of Naraku, I'm Hakudōshi."

She felt her eyes widen in understanding. This was the yōkai-child Inuyasha called a pain. The boy who had travelled through the land, cutting off yōkai heads and killing human Hōshi's.

"Get away from her, you little bastard!" Inuyasha snarled, "Kaze no Kizu!"

Chiharu yelped, only just dodging the blast of energy and shot a murderous expression at the red-clad Hanyō before landing on the roof of a hut. Inuyasha's favoured attack had little effect on the child and he smirked at them with malice-filled eyes, a luminescent kekkai formed around him.

"Nice try, Inuyasha,"

The woman, now only a few feet away from her, looked her up and down appreciatively and cocked her head. "Her?"

"That's her," the child chuckled and Chiharu frowned, not all that comfortable as both yōkai were now circling her. Seeing their closeness she carefully drew her sword and cursed under her breath. She wasn't exactly stellar in hand-to-hand combat.

"A child," the woman decided and Chiharu felt her cheeks flush. Turning to face her she glared.

"I'm not a child."

She noticed too late the mass of writhing flesh shooting towards her. Tentacles, probably part of Naraku's body flailed at her and she slipped from the roof, crashing against a large boulder, hissing when she heard her pelvis one groan and landed harshly on her right hip. The fire-woman laughed launching an attack and she only just blocked the trident with the blade of her katana.

"No," the woman decided, "you're a foolish child."

The feel of youki pooled in her stomach, as if someone trailed cold fingers along her spine and she shuddered before using the inhuman strength to propel herself into the air, away from the two yōkai who looked a bit too interested in her. The yōkai load had doubled and now not only the bird-bats, but also Naraku's yōkai had joined the fight. From the other side of the clearing, surrounded by high pine trees, Kagome was helping the humans left alive evacuate, while Sango and Mirōku flanked her keeping the yōkai at bay.

Chiharu tried to steer and manipulate her youki to land beside Inuyasha, swinging Tetsusaiga around frantically, but a dark presence hurling toward her made her change course. She landed painfully on her feet barely dodging the woman's trident, but couldn't dodge the child-yōkai's naginata. It sliced down her arm and her hip, almost getting lodged in her pelvis bone.

She shrieked, blindly swinging her own katana at Hakudōshi only to have it bounce off against his kekkai. Reiki coursed down her arm and up through the fang. It sizzled with a combination of holy and acidic power and the shimmer of his shield was flickering ominously.

'Just a little bit more…'

The child lavender eyes widened and she pushed as much of her energy she could muster into her weapon. Hakudōshi moved away from her as if burned — he probably literally was — and she leaned against the wooden wall of one of the huts.

"You little—" he hissed, spinning his weapon above his head, but whatever attack he wanted to launch never came.

"Hiraikotsu!"

Sango's cry filled the air as her weapon hurled through the horde of yōkai surrounding her and slammed into Hakudōshi's Kekkai; pushing him off the trail. Chiharu breathed out thankfully, using her enemies' preoccupation to fall back, staggering away as warm blood ran down her side. Even with the Tetsusaiga at their side, they were largely outnumbered with their enemies. As large wasps emerged, buzzing angrily, Inuyasha punched the Hōshi back. Mirōku's left hand was tightly curled around his right wrist, but with the sheer amount of insects in the sky, he seemed to see sense.

Chiharu dodged a loose tentacle, barely missing her shoulder and she jumped for the cover of the trees. Sango had once explained that fighting in a clearing wasn't wise. She also told her fighting from trees wasn't wise either but it was the preferable option right now. At the sound of her enemies pursuing she quickened her pace. Blood was pulsing strongly from the large gash at her side. Her sandals and hakama were already soaked and she pressed a trembling hand against the ripped flesh. She weaved a frantic path, slipping on her slippers, past the clustered burning huts. She heard the Naginata whistled through the air and she stumbled against a tree and slid down a slope of hard, cold stone, slamming hard against a sharp-edged boulder.

It sent her nerves aflame with pain as the stone dug into the gash at her side and added to the injury. Drawing herself up — as there was no time to dally — she jerked her bow from her back and wedged the katana into the ground, Chiharu sat back on her haunches and aimed an arrow. The fiery woman — Princes Abi — as she just called herself when she'd realised Kagome was helping the humans escape, appeared through the foliage and narrowed her eyes at the drawn arrow.

"That won't work, doll-face," she told her coldly, smiling condescendingly. The shimmering purple of the kekkai was visible around her, but Chiharu was determined. She would protect the Shikon shards

"You would be surprised,"

The arrow shot away from her bowstring in a flash of bright blue light and broke through the shimmering kekkai with an angry snap. The dark orange sky coloured briefly into a pale blue luminescence and the woman howled in fury, parts of her arm and side scalding under the pure reiki onslaught.

"A Miko," she hissed, her eyes locking on hers.

"Ain't that right!" Chiharu hissed.

She couldn't help the pleased smile that briefly overtook her face. Princess Abi descended quickly in the air, out of her reach and Chiharu used her retreat to move towards her friends. She was too exposed alone. Hakudōshi's sudden appearance before her wasn't surprising, but it was unwelcome all the same. This time she dodged the boy's naginata, but she did not dodge the Ofuda he threw.

She screamed when the magic in the seal scorching her skin and surged against her youki, sapping at her energy. The gash at her side burning and tingled angrily before the slightly stemmed blood flow started afresh and she felt a surge of dizziness flash through her.

"What the—"

She had to sit back and close her eyes for a moment when the world started to sin. The pain quickly faded in an angry throb, which she normally wouldn't describe as all that great, but the gash had stopped in the middle of the healing process and blood was running thickly. Trying to keep her breathing stable, she curled her fingers into her knees.

Hakudōshi was circling around her, smiling deviously, before descending down to the earth. Whatever he wanted from her, but she scrambled to her feet and staggered away. Her heartbeat was a strong and persistent deep hammer-thud, resonating through her ears. The saimyōshō buzzed angrily around them and Chiharu started to feel more and more lightheaded.

She glared up at the boy. He had a self-satisfied smile on his face and his weapon was trained upon her, but he had yet to strike again. At first, she didn't understand what was stopping him, but then a strong, heavy aura wrapped around her. Her breath was momentarily taken from her lungs and her face lost what little colour it still had.

With a tremendous effort, she heaved herself up on her arms and knees and sought his familiar figure out. He stood next to the dark outline of a tree, eyes gleaming in the dying light of the sun.

Amber eyes met hers across the distance and the muscles of her shoulder-blades locked together. His eyes swept over her fallen form, lingered on the large gash at her side that was not yet healing properly and glared at Hakudōshi.

"Sesshōmaru?"

"You're a bit too early, Sesshōmaru-sama," Hakudōshi's announced gleefully.

Chiharu didn't agree. From her point of view, he was exactly on time. She'd managed to create a small kekkai around her, her reiki sizzling with exhaustion and watched him take in the scene and his nostrils flared. He was not amused. The woman, Princess Abi, had disappeared. The bird-yōkai and their master had practically vanished the moment Sesshōmaru arrived.

Chiharu could see why. She stared at the lethal Daiyōkai with tired eyes but even she immediately noticed the aura around him. It flared like as if someone struck a match and she took a big gulp of air, pressing herself against the rough bark of a tree. She wasn't feeling all that well. Blood was running thick and sticky down her side, colouring the sandy ground a deep scarlet. With trembling hands she pulled a long string of gauze free and wrapped it tightly around her side, hoping to at least slow the bleeding. The kekkai around her flickered from her exhaustion, but Hakudōshi was too busy now. With the arrival of Sesshōmaru, the child-yōkai had summoned another horde of yōkai. She recognised his retreat-strategy and watched through bleary eyes as Sesshōmaru gracefully fought. The acidic gas, coming from his fingertips ate away at Naraku's yōkai while he launched a series of complicated attacks on Hakudōshi's kekkai.

She'd always admired his fighting style. How could one not?

Despite the gore splattering and flailing around him, his white haori was still pristine. He was graceful, even in the never-ending combat and although the number of yōkai did not diminish in the slightest, he didn't show any signs of tiring. Not even an Ofuda, stuck to his side, did little more than annoy him. Chiharu fought to mounting exhaustion the best she could, but the blood-loss combined with the fatigue from the magical seal on her side robbed her of almost all of her energy. Her vision disappeared before she'd hit the forest floor in a sea of blackness.

 _To be continued.._

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 **Leave a review! I love them^^**

 **A bit more violent than I usually write (expect more violent and mature themes in the future though), but you might by now know me. I need to have a bit of tension between the Daiyōkai and Chiharu-chan. It's good for their growth :p**

 **Next update: Friday/Saturday evening.**


	36. Chapter 35, Bonds through time

**A/N: And here is the next chapter (fast right?). To my anonymous reviewer: you are absolutely right. Inuyasha definitely should stop comparing Kagome and Kikyō, but it's not likely he will ever truly do. It's one of the reasons I never really thought they were a healthy couple (I liked both of them, but not really together). For some unknown, absolutely weird reason I liked Sango and Inuyasha (because I'm slightly weird). This is not one of those fics though. Perhaps, one in the future, who knows.**

 **Anyway, thank you, everyone, for the reviews, the favourites and followers. To old and new readers, welcome. I hope you'll enjoy this chapter!**

 **And on with the story! Enjoy^^**

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 **o.O.o**

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 _ **Chapter Thirty-Five, Bonds through time**_

 **A** cold onshore breeze blew through the city and clouds swirled around in grey masses. It was snowing. Not the kind of snow that remained but the wet kind, turning the whole world into a muddy mess. Water was running down the surface of the car windows in heavy rivulets and the windscreen wipers squeaked over the glass in an effort to control the water. Chiharu followed the rhythmic movements with childish glee and smiled at her father as he stopped the car at a red light.

"So how are those piano lessons coming along?"

"Great, Oto-sama," the young girl excitedly decided. She stuck her hands out in front of her wiggling her fingers as if she was playing an invisible keyboard. "Giba-Sensei told me I have talent."

Her father smiled warmly: "I'm sure he did."

His eyes turned to the road again. The traffic light was still red and his hand hovered above clutch. Christmas carols came from the radio and finally, the light of the traffic light turned green. The small car slowly crossed the intersection and Chiharu hummed along with the Merry Christmas tone. Her father smiled at her and suddenly his face turned serious.

"Oh my God,"

The car screeched harshly against the wet pavement and her father swerved to the side, trying to dodge the car coming from their right side. It hit the trunk of the car and Chiharu screamed as suddenly the car's airbags knocked her back and sideways and the car suddenly toppled, rolling over the asphalt and coming to a halt ditch. Her vision blurred, warm liquid running down her cheek to her forehead and her shoulder and arm stung.

When her eyes opened again, someone was carrying her, carefully placing her on the cold, damp road. The world looked blurry to her and small flocks of snow fell into her face. She blinked carefully, warm tears mingling with the cold water from the snow.

"Oto-sama?"

The man in front of her was still blurry and the loud, shrill sirens had her on edge. Blue and red lights flashed over the road and she noticed people huddled together looking around as if it was all some kind of spectacle.

"Oto-sama?" Her voice had gained a hysteric edge and she tried to sit up, but a throbbing ache held her back. "I—I'm scared."

"I've got you, child. Remain still."

She could barely lift her arms and legs and there were so many voices, yet, the seven-year-old couldn't make out was being said. The man next to her, not her father, held a hand to her shoulder and she realised she must have been in a car crash. Another man had joined them and a mask was placed over her mouth, air flew in through her nose.

She tried to inch away when she noticed a large sharp needle with a fluid bag, but her body did barely even twitch.

"Can you hold her down, gently?"

The man who'd carried her nodded and Chiharu looked away. Her vision sharpened and she noticed two EMT men roll a stretcher away. The face of her father stared unseeingly at her and she screamed.

"Keep looking at me, child," the man voice gravely ordered, his face hovered above hers, keeping her attention away from her father's mangled body. He carefully pushed her long thick dark locks out of her face and she shuddered. The cold dampness from the asphalt was making its way through her winter coat and her body quivered from the pain. She stared up at his chiselled face and her eyes widened slightly. She knew him.

"Sesshōmaru?"

She gasped, violently jerking up. Or trying to. Pain shot through her side and a strong hand kept her pressed to the damp forest floor. Her hair fell loose about her face, tousled, tangled spread in the dirt. She hadn't dreamt about that particular night in years, nor had she ever seen anyone she knew into it either and she inhaled deeply. Her side was prickling and the cold air was attacking her sensitive skin.

The pink light of dawn had just started to creep over the darkened horizon. The air was slightly chilly and her eyes shot open when she became aware of the warm weight on her bare stomach. Lifting her head she glanced down and her eyes widened. Her haori was partially opened, pushed aside and her cheeks dusted a dark pink and Sesshōmaru, silver hair spilt over her chest and thighs, was bent over her still form, clawed fingers slanting over her skin.

"W-what are you doing?" She squeaked, one hand going towards her chest, trying to pull her haori over the simple white fabric of her bra. She was even missing her red hakama, the elastic band of her underwear slightly torn, but at least shielding her most private part from prying eyes.

"Could you please stop that?"

"Your wounds still bleed."

Chiharu's face was warm and she tried to push his hands away to no avail. "I— I can do it myself."

Amber eyes met hers and he slowly lowered his lips down to her stomach, his tongue swirling over the still freshly bleeding gash. Chiharu hissed, his tongue prickled against the wound. Hissing again, she tried to wriggle away from his tall form.

"Wait, stop!"

His eyes met hers again and he drew back. "There is a coagulant in my saliva."

Which was, of course, a very logical explanation as to why he was licking her. He lowered his mouth to her stomach again. Prickles were running up and down her arms and legs and she shuddered. His youki washed over her and she turned her head away from his face. They were in a small clearing. The bushes and shrubs between the trees reached from the ground up in a dense circle. Her breath was stuck in her throat and her fingers curled into the dirt of the forest ground below her.

The unwanted thoughts that raced through her mind were very unwelcome and bit her lip. The muscles in her lower stomach jerked when his finger-pads traced over her skin and she pressed her thighs together trying to save as much dignity as she could. His face hovered above her unharmed belly-button and she tensed below him. She wasn't sure what she was expecting, but the next moment he disappeared from her, getting to his feet.

She sat up as fast as she could, straightening her dishevelled clothes the best she could. "Where is my hakama?"

"It was destroyed."

"D-destroyed? What did you do with it?"

He gave her a dry look and she pressed her lips tightly together. So she would admit if only to herself, that that had been a stupid question. He'd probably grown impatient with her silly human clothes and had shredded them. It was probably a small miracle that he'd left her haori mostly alone. She decided to ignore the issue and got up to her knees carefully, pushing her hair out of her face.

She experimentally rolled her shoulders, wincing as many muscles felt sore and started to massage an aching tendon.

"Your shoulder was dislocated during the flight," Sesshōmaru told her matter-of-factly and she nodded. Considering the way he looked right now, she suspected he had personally seen to setting it.

"Does the Ofuda affect my healing?" She asked slowly, curling her legs up to her chest and wrapping her arms around her knees.

He cocked his head to the side, bright amber eyes staring her down: "No, you're healing abilities and your youki should have returned to you by now."

Her frown deepened: "I see,"

Sesshōmaru didn't seem to think she understood at all but didn't say anything. He just looked at her inadequate way of dressing. Of the dried blood on her upper leg and the scarlet stains on her white haori. Chiharu felt her cheeks redden even more and she stared around the clearing again. The remains of her hakama lay scattered at the other end on the damp grass.

"Follow me,"

She looked up sharply again" "What?"

"There is a river not far from here,"

She nodded and followed him without a word. She nodded again. Till now she'd never felt like liability, but now she did. She'd thought she would have been able to hold herself in a battle. Thought she would have been all right in a hand-to-hand combat, even if it wasn't her speciality, but when the youki she'd grown so accustomed of had disappeared, she had been rendered useless. Of course, she'd relied on her super-human speed and strength, but without it—

"I will return,"

Her head shot up again. They'd already arrived at the shores of a small stream, surrounded by high maple trees. Green leaves fading already in brown and the water surface was already covered in orange-brown leaves.

She watched him trace his step back in the forest, leaving her alone to her thoughts and Chiharu dropped her ruined clothes to the dirt. The water was chilly, yet, not uncomfortably so. She quickly paddled to the middle where the water was the deepest and dipped beneath the water's surface, rinsing her hair and rubbing her face.

She scrubbed part of her sleeve over her bloodied skin and winced when she accidentally rubbed it over the gash at her side. She wasn't exactly sure why the wound wasn't healing well, but the magic in the Ofuda had turned her metabolism upside down. Groaning softly, she ran her finger pads over the simple bruises on her lower stomach, her shins and her upper arm — where she suspected Sesshōmaru had grabbed her last night. They still looked fresh and she pursed her lips. Why were they not healing properly?

Resting her elbows on her knees, she leaned back against the rough side of a rock.

At least her friends were all right. She knew with for sure that Hakudōshi and the bird-princess had disappeared after Sesshōmaru had arrived. She wondered idly what they'd thought when they realised Sesshōmaru had dragged her with him. She knew without a doubt he'd taken her without consulting with her friends first.

Perhaps she should be annoyed with that. Just as she should have been annoyed he'd practically undressed and licked her wounds without her consent, but it would be somewhat hypocritical. She could see she was to some extent hypocritical.

When he'd come for her she had been pleased. Getting all hysterical right after he'd saved her was not only hypocritical but ungrateful as well.

Shaking her head, she dipped beneath the water's surface again, this time holding herself there and squeezed her eyes shut. Just like their group, Sesshōmaru and his companions were following after Naraku. Didn't it make sense for their groups to start working together?

"Miko,"

The strangled scream that escaped her lips was half drowned by the water when she dipped under, only her eyes peering out above the surface. He was standing at the shore, silver hair softly billowing in the wind and face unreadable. She glared at him, the air escaping her mouth creating bubbles. She hadn't even noticed his pale form stepping back into the small clearing.

"Pervert,"

He gave her a dry look. His eyes conveying that her stomach and her hipbones were hardly of any interest to him. She felt her face flush a beat-red and dug her nails into the palms of her hands. "What happened to Naraku's offspring?"

"Left as soon as I arrived." He told her matter-of-factly. "Yet, another Miko interfered as well."

"Another Miko?"

"Hn. The child yōkai seemed spooked by her. My brother decided to follow her. Thought it best if you remained by this Sesshōmaru's side."

Igorning the irritated expression — obviously wasn't best pleased by being told what to do — she ventured to the shore and pressed her front against the bank, leaning on her lower arms. "A Miko— Could it be Kikyō?"

Sesshōmaru gave her a look that seemed to say: 'what's a Kikyō', before dropping a bundle of clothes on the forest floor. "As you seem to refuse to wear the traditional clothes for women—"

"My Miko garb is perfectly traditional, thank you very much."

He ignored her, nothing in his expression giving away as if he'd heard her. She wasn't sure why he let her get away with disrespecting him. Usually, he always retaliated to her brazen outbursts with fury or at least cold contempt, but now he was simply ignoring it. Very much like a parent would brush over his child's tone and simply ignore it. She certainly wouldn't complain about it, but after all their altercations, it just seemed weird.

"Just wear it, Miko."

She frowned before reaching for the clothes. He'd gotten her a simple blue haori with a pattern of yellow butterflies and flowers, a lighter blue shade of hakama and small ankle boots (somewhat similar to Sesshōmaru's). It was surprisingly nice and she sighed in relief when the Daiyōkai turned around, presenting her his back.

She carefully lifted herself out of the water and sat down on the grass at the bank. Drying herself to the best of her ability with her shredded haori, she dressed slowly. Being careful to not put too much pressure on the diagonal gash down her side. Every muscle and joint in her back felt stiff and sighed annoyed. She liked it much better when her fast metabolism protected her from such unpleasantness.

As she adjusted the straps on her hakama, her thoughts involuntarily returned to Inuyasha's first love. They'd thought she hadn't survived — how very unlikely it was if she had — but perhaps the clay body she now used had protected her against the heavy Miasma that was Naraku's favourite defence.

"Sesshōmaru?"

"Hn,"

"Thank you," she whispered softly meeting his amber eyes with her own, "I know we don't see eye-to-eye about— well, barely anything, but thank you for coming for me."

The silence stretched out between them and Chiharu traded her fingers through her damp locks and started to tie her hair back with a ribbon.

"How did you find me?"

It was a question that had been on the forefront of her mind quite often. He was there when she was in trouble. Of course, he could follow her scent, but the idea that he was always close enough to pick up on it was strange. The Daiyōkai inclined his head, seemingly giving the answer some serious thought before lifting his hand to her neck. Clawed fingers almost gently pushed her dark hair away and lightly settled on the hollow of her throat. The pad of his thumbs drawing circles over the puckered flesh of the Mark.

"I know when you are in danger,"

"Wow, that was cryptic, even for your standards."

He peered at her with a heavy sort of interest and she tried not to fidget.

"You're not very adequate at cloaking your emotions," he told her matter of factly, "it's very easy to pick up on them."

She frowned, pursing her lips and crossed her arms over her chest. "Right."

"Let's return to camp."

And just like that, the conversation was over. He turned on his heel and ventured back into the forest, silver hair billowing in the soft breeze. For a few moments, she just stared after him before following him down the maze of trees.

 _To be continued..._

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 **A/N: Next update upcoming Thursday^^.**

 **Leave a review!**


	37. Chapter 36, Threads

**A/N: And the same update as yesterday. For some reason I updated the wrong version (I do not have my administration in order** **). I'm terribly sorry. I adjusted the chapter and I hope you'll all still enjoy it:)**

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 **o.O.o**

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 _ **Chapter Thirty-Six, Threads**_

 **A** fter loading her knapsack earlier that morning, Sesshōmaru led the small ragtag group further into the Northern borders. There was little vegetation beside the long scrubby grass and the tall pine forests in the further distance. They'd travelled through the rocky wastelands, passed a long, wide river made of stone that might once have been some kind of lava-flow. Chiharu absentmindedly watched the dark, almost black, surface and inhaled softly. Cool air combined with pines and something smokey wafted to her nostrils.

Ever since she'd acquired these senses, _thanks_ to Sesshōmaru, she had been learning how to use them. Yet, ever since the Ofuda incident her youki had been smothered under a power she was unfamiliar with. Her other senses were still functioning perfectly though. Her hearing was sharp and her sense of smell beyond good. Even so, somehow, the Ofuda had downgraded her metabolism enough to smother youki and slow her healing-rate. No amount of research or any other attempt to bring the youki back had been effective to return it. She was still strangely aware of someone else's life-force, aware of the pulsing throb inside her reiki as a second heartbeat, but the rush of power it normally gave remained absent. It was like a second heartbeat thudding through her bloodstream and she had no idea if it would remain just that; a distant thud and awareness of his being. It was comforting at times because without the youki, the sharpened senses felt strange.

The gash at her side took far longer healing than she was used to. The reiki in her blood had quickened her healing abilities enough that it was only a minor inconvenience and after three days only an angry pink line remained. Yet, she still winced when Sesshōmaru would pull her off her feet (she was barely ever fast enough in his opinion) and her relocated shoulder remained sore. Rolling her shoulders awkwardly, Chiharu tried to focus on her breathing and hoped to coax even a spark of youkish power from her fingertips as she followed behind the large three-headed dragon Sesshōmaru kept around.

Nothing happened.

It wasn't entirely surprising, but a stab of disappointment shot through her. Curling her fingers into the blue sleeves of her haori, she quickened her step. The silken outfit Sesshōmaru had gotten her seemed to be made of a similar material as Inuyasha's haori. Not only was it easy to wash and fast to dry, it also seemed self-repairing. Chiharu had tried asking Sesshōmaru where you could get clothing like this, but he remained evasive about it.

Her inquiries about her friends had also fallen on deaf ears. Sesshōmaru was even more evasive about their location as he was about her clothing. Ignoring the bubbling frustration with the lack of progress and Sesshōmaru's behaviour, toyed with the Shikon shards on the chain. She supposed it was a small miracle she still had them. Naraku's objective seemed painfully clear now. Blocking her youki and extracting the shards would probably have been child's play for him. If it were any other way she might even have applauded him, but she didn't understand why he'd never used such a tactic on Inuyasha. Binding his youkai side would effectively slow him down and would make him unable to use Tetsusaiga.

She didn't understand and Chiharu didn't like it when she did not understand something.

Pushing a dark lock of hair out of her face she wrapped her arms around her torso and inhaled softly. The air was slightly salty and the wind was chilly. Her footsteps crunched awkwardly over the thin layer of leaves that had only recently begun to fall. Autumn was starting with a rather drastic shift of weather, cutting the previous heat wave short and several days had already been spent in a chilly rain. Rolling her shoulders she was thankful for that; at least it was dry.

By mid-morning, the small group reached the edge of the rocky wasteland and stepped into a small forest. Pine trees stretched up above them, tall and proud, reaching for the sun. They stretched in a wide curve towards the apple trees, with their deeply-ridged red-gold barks. The ground was covered ankle deep in brown leaf-skeletons as long as her foot and a soft fragrant of salt wafted and curled through the branches. Chiharu tried not to think about Naraku and his reasons for using that Ofuda on her and the chance he would use it on Inuyasha as well.

They walked along the forest-floor of a grove and Chiharu felt as if she was walking into a cathedral. The shafts of light came down through the canopy and there was a strange stillness in the air. In the distance, she heard the soft sound of water lapping on the shore.

"Master Jaken?"

Rin's voice, soft and happy, pulled her quickly out of her reverie. Her jaunty ponytail quivering with how fast she was waving at 'Master' Jaken to get his attention. Chiharu wasn't sure how the child came to follow Sesshōmaru and his rude servant (although he hadn't been all that rude and unpleasant to her recently), but she hadn't known how to subtly inquire. Rin was a very innocent and warm child. She always appeared happy and carefree and for the past few days had asked Chiharu to sing for her before she went to bed. The way the child curled up to her as Chiharu complied made her wonder if it was something her own mother had done before she died. That Rin's mother was no longer part of this world seemed rather obvious.

"When will we stop?"

"I don't know. When Sesshōmaru-sama decides we stop, we stop. Quit asking me, you insufferable child."

"But Rin is hungry,"

Chiharu pursed her lips. She wanted to stop and stretch her legs as well. Perhaps some food and then a moment to herself to try and gather her powers again. Jaken's expression turned irritated but Rin didn't seem to mind. Sesshōmaru shoulders tensed ever so slightly.

The Daiyōkai had a way to make you feel absolutely inadequate and she really didn't need him lording over her while she failed drastically to call upon the youki that he was sure should be still there. It appeared to be laying dormant, still fueling her. She supposed if she got into trouble it might still help her, but honestly, she didn't want to take the risk.

"What did I say, I—" Jaken started annoyed. Rin was still looking at him with wide, pleading eyes and Chiharu felt her muscles tense.

"Jaken," Sesshomaru's voice cut through his complaint as a hot knife through butter and the imp made a soft gasping sound.

"MiLord?"

"Your voice grates me."

Chiharu sniffed. His voice grated everyone. Rin beamed at her guardian, her faith into the yōkai unprecedentedly strong and Chiharu felt her tense shoulders relax a bit. It was oddly disarming.

"Sesshōmaru, when do you think we're going to make camp?" She asked, ignoring Jaken's soft mumble about disrespect. The muscles in her legs were cramping slightly and she felt tired altogether.

The Daiyōkai peered over his shoulder, eyes meeting hers unblinkingly. He took three seconds, three, she counted them, before he inclined his head ever so slightly: "We will make camp here,"

Rin squealed, mounting off from her trusty companion and even Jaken slumped gratefully forward. So much for disrespectfulness. Rin crossed the clearing, small feet beating harshly against the forest floor and Chiharu stepped up next to A-Un, running her fingers through his mane.

"It's the sea!" Rin cried suddenly. Chiharu hadn't even realised she'd travelled through the orange foliage and watched Rin excitedly jumping up and down before the gentle slope towards a sandy beach.

She could hear the water lap at the shore and smell the salty scent of the sea. It was a lovely view. Rin, still so very young, blew her cheeks up and glanced at the white-sopping waves in awe. With every crash against the shore, a white salt spray blew over. In the distance, a human-built boat rolled over the waves, like a child thrashing in its mother's arms. So now and then it disappeared from view as the massive crests, topped with white foam and dark depths, charged.

"Do you see it, Chiharu-sama?"

"See what, Rin-chan?" She answered softly. "Do you mean the boat?"

"No, I mean the shells. I've never seen so many."

Chiharu smiled amusedly as Rin gently pushed her toes in the sand, carefully inching closer. With a small sigh, content on watching the child, Chiharu plunked down in the short, gaunt grass. Shrugging her knapsack off her shoulder, she took out a bottle of water and took a small swig.

Rin remained staring transfixed at the sea, toes curling and uncurling in the damp sand. Chiharu wondered absentmindedly if this was the first time she'd seen the sea. Considering the unlikely chance that a child of the Sengoku Jidai would have been travelling around on her own before meeting Sesshōmaru, Chiharu supposed it might be.

"Rin,"

The little girl twirled around at the soft-spoken command and Sesshōmaru stepped up next to her. "Yes, Sesshōmaru-sama?"

"You will not go near the water."

If the child was put out with that, she didn't show it. Her large doe-eyes gazed trustingly up at her guardian and she nodded. "Hai, Sesshōmaru-sama,"

"Miko,"

"Yes?" Chiharu answered, unfastening the straps of her scabbard and carefully dropped it on the grass as well. It seemed unlikely he would ever call her by her name.

"Come,"

She looked up startled, not really wanting to accompany him to whatever deserted place he wanted to go. It was hardly fun to be mocked or made fun of, but before she could say anything, a cloud of youki gathered beneath his feet and she only had a moment before his left hand curled around her upper arm, pulling her up and along. They sped through the chilly air and she watched the scenery around her with a detached sort of fascination. She used to be slightly afraid of heights but, even without the youki in her system, she felt rather save with him. She knew he wouldn't let her fall.

The crescent on his forehead was clearly visible as his hair swept off his face and she peered at it with interest. His arm tightened around her middle when he met her searching gaze from his peripheral vision and her fingers tensed into the soft silk of his kimono.

They touched down a few minutes later in a small grassy clearing. Logs, in several stages of decomposition, were located around an old rickety well with a Torii arch and weeds curled haphazardly around wood of both the well and the arch. There was a human village close by.

It was an odd place for him to bring her to and Chiharu curled her fingers around her shoulders. Her eyes fixing on the hand still holding onto her arm.

"You have been displeased," he stated. It wasn't a question.

"No, not displeased per se." She hedged uncomfortably.

He took a step back and slowly let go of her arm and she peered around. "You made no progress with the youki."

Again, not a question and she steeled herself for his disdain. "No."

"Hn,"

"I need to go home," Chiharu whispered, "apart from my family being worried, I think it would work in my favour."

And she really did think it would. His nearness

He gave her a long look before fisting his right hand into her collar and hoisting her up. In the blink of an eye they were standing in front of the old well and a moment later he chucked her over the rim. Her scream was cut short when she plunged into a clinging coldness. Her lungs burn when she inhaled. Choking when water filled her longes, she urgently kicked her way upward, breaking through the surface with a hoarse gasp.

He threw her into a water well.

"W-what the hell!" Curling her fingers into the dirt walls she held on and caught her breath. "You— Why the hell did you do that?"

"You travel through wells, do you not?"

"Only through the one near Edo, imbecile!" She gasped back, teeth chattering from the cold. "It's not _this_ well!"

Curling her fingers into the slick stones, she tried hailing herself up. It didn't work. "Get me out of here!"

"Do it yourself, Miko."

"Do it myself? You threw me in here and— Oh never mind when I'll get out of here I'll wring your neck."

His face loomed over the rim of the well and she noticed he looked amused. "Hn, you'll have to get out first."

"Arsehole," she muttered under her breath. The frigid water and her already tired limbs were starting to take its toll on her. Swimming towards the rope and the bucket she held onto it. It took her several attempts before she managed to haul herself up on the rope and kicked off against the wall. When she reached the rim, she curled her arm around the wood and the gripped at the deep reigns in the wood. The wood splintering under the beds of her nails was less than stellar and by the time she sat on the well, she was breathing hard.

"You are a bloody arsehole,"

"Hn,"

"You really are!"

"You need to bend your Youki."

"Excuse me, I am trying!" She retorted annoyed, looking up at the torii arch and crossed her arms over her chest. She looked more like a petulant child than she'd ever had. Looking away, she combed her hair together and wrung the excess of water from her hair. Her haori clinging to her small body and she frowned. Trust Sesshōmaru to drop her in some unknown well expecting it to transport her back home. When she looked up again he had moved beside her.

"You are like a child," he softly whispered and his thumb caressed her cheek.

Her mouth opened to retort but her breath came in a short small gasp as he grabbed her wrist and pulled her back flush against his chest. She met his eyes hesitantly, her muscles tense. His eyes were dark and full of a heat and intensity that held her transfixed, unable to look away.

"This Sesshōmaru could awaken things inside you that would have been sleeping all your life."

"Ah—" she started, unsure what she should say and trembled slightly when his fingers lightly touched her throat. The pads of his fingers were cool and she carefully inclined her head. Embarrassment and arousal warred within her.

"I don't—"

"So young," he whispered and his fingers fisted in her hair, bearing more of her neck, "So mine."

She had entertained more sexual fantasies than she cared to admit but this one was new. His fingers curled lightly around her chin and he leaned towards her, binding his head down to hers. She felt her own eyes fall close, losing focus, feeling heavy when his lips pressed against her pulse point. She felt strangely dizzy and her heart pounded harshly against her ribcage.

His youki swirled around them, flicking her hair up in an unnatural breeze. She let her head roll back against his shoulder and she felt his lips graze the puckered flesh of his mark. It sent an electric prickle down her spine and felt his warm breath fan out over her collarbone. Then she felt the sharp sting when his sharp fangs pierced the skin.

Her eyes widened and youki full and strong washed over her, travelling through her limbs, making her toes curl. It was like an electric current. The hairs on her arms and legs stood on end and a loud gasp escaped from her parted lips. The youki she had not been able to feel for days jerked awake as if an accelerant had been thrown over it and it headily pressed against Sesshōmaru's and she felt his claws sink slightly into her skin.

His rogue tongue swirled over her fast beating jugular and she felt his heartbeat echo hers in her head. Her breathing already laboured and his hand slowly skimmed down her neck, down her shoulder and settled on her hip. It probably wasn't wise to try his control anymore.

"It's back." She gasped softly.

"Hn, this Sesshōmaru will teach you how to bend it." He whispered, his voice slightly muffled in her hair.

She nodded breathlessly. The power of the bond shimmering in her blood and its power pulling at her. It made everything feel so good. So exciting. She took another step forward and slowly turned around, her breathing still heavy.

No matter how curious she might be, she did not want any sexual exercises to be influenced by a bond and a power she had no control of. Slowly, he let go of her and she took a few steps forward, a hand already pressed against her neck. Her hair was still uncomfortably wet, dripping down her shoulders and her haori clung unpleasantly to her body.

The wounds he made were already healing beneath her fingertips and the youki which had been lying dormant for days swirled through her veins. He stared at her with hooded amber eyes a bit of blood smeared on his chin. He looked rather feral and she felt the muscles in her stomach tense.

It was a look she'd come to know really well: "Perhaps, we should return to camp now?"

His face was tense. Absentmindedly she wondered since when she had started such trivial changes in his body language before stepping closer. "I think it would be better for both of us if we return and then, after, I learn how to bend the youki, I should return to Inuyasha's side."

"You want to return to Inuyasha so badly?"

She smiled, but it felt hollow; "I don't really know what I want anymore."

 _To be continued..._

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 **A/N: Am I the only one who had problems with fanfiction the last few days? Apart from the numerous errors, I couldn't find any stories either (frantically typing into the search bar on my phone and my computer… didn't work by the way). It was really weird. Anyway, two days later than I'd wanted, but here it is. I hope you'll enjoy this chapter. I certainly enjoyed writing the well part. Let me know what you think! Leave a review!**

 **And thank you all for the nice reviews!**

 **The next update (unless something goes wrong) will be coming next Thursday!**

 **To my anonymous reviewer: you're right. Kagome kept going until Inuyasha caved. She was and is a great friend, I definitely liked their friendship. The only thing I think is that their love might have been toxic because in the end Inyasha's sees or compares her to Kikyō. Not necessarily out of spite, but because he did love her. Anyway, I respect your** **opinion and you're definitely right. He needs someone like Kagome around, but perhaps not as a lover. Either way, I hope you'll keep enjoying this story and let me know what you think:)**


	38. Chapter 37, The Mountains

**A/N:** **And extremely overdue, but here is the next chapter to 'A tale of two sister'. My computer broke and had to be fixed. I was supposed to have it back after two weeks. Guess who didn't get it back after 'only two weeks'; yes, that's right.**

 **Anyway, apparently they had a busy time or didn't have the part they needed I don't really know. At least it's working again. I hope you'll all enjoy the newest chapter^^**

 **As always, leave a comment. Your comments really make my day (I love them) and they support me to write. They encourage me like nothing else does, so** **thank you for all that. I really appreciate it:)**

 **Enjoy!**

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o.O.o

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 _ **Chapter Thirty-Seven, The Mountains**_

 **T** he first tendrils of orange light were beginning to seep out from behind the white-capped peaks of the Western Mountains. Chiharu stirred slowly, her eyes fluttering against the blinding flames of the coming sunrise. She was laying on her side, onto a mossy patch amidst a large maple tree's roots. Small, orange leaves were tangled into her long dark hair and she combed her fingers through it tiredly.

Her watery gaze transfixed on the beautiful sky and she slowly sat up, rubbing at her eyes. Her senses felt already vaguely roused. Not too far away, the alarming and powerful youki of Sesshōmaru emanated strongly. She was briefly confused when she recognised the glimmer of two Shikon shards close by. With a start she sat up, scrambling to her feet and sleepily followed her senses. Suddenly, from very close by, there came a resounded crash that shook the ground. Alarmed, Chiharu quickened her pace, venturing deeper under the canopy of the trees.

The past few days Sesshōmaru had taught her how to meditate. How to calm herself and steer her power through her veins. To be in control of herself and powering herself up when needed. Although the Daiyōkai certainly lacked tact, he was actually a sufficient teacher. Carefully, slowly, she pushed her aura out, trying to conceal as much as she could, not giving away her position.

There were several sources of youki near that of Sesshōmaru's and she inched further into the woods. Another crash shook the ground, sending debris up into the sky and with a small gasp, Chiharu darted into a grove. She found a narrow space through the thick foliage to hide. wolves, several of them, their brown fur ruffled and some covered in their own blood, surrounded Sesshōmaru. His fingertips were glinting green, amber eyes cold.

"None of you match this Sesshōmaru in strength."

What she saw, made her head slightly spin. Sesshōmaru was standing in only his hakama and haori. His armour discarded close to a small stream. It wasn't really the armourless Sesshōmaru that made Chiharu frown, as it was the tall Wolf-prince Kōga, standing opposite of him, several of his wolves flanking him. Ginta and Hakkaku, his friends and servants, cowered behind him.

"You are awfully cocky, Dog!"

Was he stupid? Chiharu took another few minutes to stare at the scene. Near the tree-line, three corpses of the first wolves that had died at Sesshōmaru's hand lay. Still, Kōga thought it to be a smart idea to antagonise a man who was obviously so much stronger than he was. His face was already bloody and scratched up. Sesshōmaru, on the other hand, didn't have so much as a scratch.

"This Sesshōmaru is starting to tire of your irrelevant existence."

Translation: 'I'm going to kill you.'

"What the—"

Faster than she'd ever seen him move, Seeshōmaru appeared in front of the Wolf Prince. Even with the Shikon shards, Kōga wasn't fast enough and Sesshōmaru's claws wrapped around Kōga's throat, slamming him harshly against a tree. The Wolf prince tried to kick out but fingers tightened around his neck and he guffawed.

Chiharu quickly moved through the foliage, her hair billowing around her and almost blinding her from the scene and her face flushed. "Sesshōmaru!"

"Miko,"

Kōga's blue eyes flickered in recognition and Sesshōmaru's eyes narrowed: "You know this one?"

"Yes," she nodded, "that's Kōga. He occasionally puts his foot in his mouth, but he's all right. He's also after Naraku."

Sesshōmaru gave her a look that seemed to say; 'So?' and Chiharu sighed: "There's no need to kill him. That's what I meant."

Reluctantly and surprisingly he slowly eased his fingers. Kōga drew in a stuttered breath and dropped to a crouch. Sesshōmaru ignored the Wolf and turned towards her, amber eyes jaded and she pressed her lips tightly together.

"Did you do your practices?"

He might have been sufficient teacher, but he was also rather good at embarrassing her in front of people too. Ignoring the reddening of her cheeks she shook her head. His face betrayed little but she'd learned by now to distinguish the littlest changes around his eyes.

"Chiharu-chan!"

The Wolf-prince's face lighted up like a Christmas tree and Chiharu pursed her lips. "Hello, Kōga."

"You know everyone is looking for you!" He excitedly told her, briefly glaring at Sesshōmaru and stepped closer to her. "Kagome-chan said you were hurt?"

Chiharu waved her hand in front of her and shook her head: "I'm fine now though. How are you?"

He smiled, canines baring and cheek already turning purple he flopped back down on the edge of a boulder. Sesshōmaru leant against a tree, seemingly not listening and Chiharu sat cross-legged in front of him. "What did Onee-chan say?"

"That the fight with the bird-lady went bad?"

"Right, yeah, it did. How are they? Is everyone all right?"

Kōga pursed his lips before nodding: "Well, the bird lady and her chicken mother not."

"Chicken?"

"Naraku decapitated her." Sesshōmaru cut in smoothly and Chiharu frowned. She turned to him with a frown. His face was turned away from her, gazing out over the land behind him and a muscle in her cheek tensed.

"Is that were you were?" She asked slowly, not fully capable to keep the irritated resentment out of her voice. "Is that were you went with Jaken? Chasing that stupid woman and her chicken mother?"

"This Sesshōmaru owes you no explanation."

Fixing him with another glare she turned to Kōga again: "Seeing as Sesshōmaru-sama," she started, letting as much contempt as she could drip out into his honorific, "owes no one an explanation, I'll ask you. Exactly what happened? Naraku chopped off a chicken's head and—"

"I can't say I fully understood, but Kagome-chan said it opened the gate to the afterlife. That's where the last shard was."

Chiharu frowned. "So you met them after they returned from— the afterlife?"

"Erm, yes."

Sesshōmaru sniffed disdainfully: "He ran away."

"I did no such thing!"

"But you did not follow my sister and the rest to the afterlife, did you?"

"It was a foolish thing to do." He defended himself lightly and Chiharu rolled her eyes.

"I see. You and Myōga-jii would work well together." Chiharu dryly replied.

"Your aura is better," Kōga commented, his eyes flitting from Chiharu to Sesshōmaru and back to Chiharu again. It seemed he was finally connecting the dots. "He's your—"

Chiharu waved her hand again, not willing to explain the way her Mark came to be and yanked at a lock of hair. "Hm, do you know how they faired?"

"They got the shard," Sesshōmaru told her dryly and she felt her eyebrows furrow.

"You were there too?"

He regarded her cooly without answering her question and she crossed her arms over her chest. So he had. He had been gone for hours one day not too long ago. 'Allowing her time to practice her mediating,' he said. She should have known it was a lie. He had been very reluctant to let her go back to her friends. She glowered at Sesshōmaru and massaged the bridge of her nose. "I see. Are you all right, Koka-san?"

"I'm fine." He gruffly replied and she eyed the ragged gashes on his arms and legs with a frown. She suspected it had only been the jewel shards that had kept him alive, but not unharmed.

"You're an idiot." She told him dryly. Sesshōmaru was still looking at him with the intent to kill and she straightened her blue haori.

"I could have taken him," he muttered and she rolled her eyes.

"Of course you could."

She doubted it. Inuyasha might make a chance, for the simple fact that Sesshōmaru struggled with his temper when faced with his despised half-brother, but Kōga. Kōga would probably be considered a fly on his windscreen and he dealt with flies on his windscreen the way he dealt with everything that annoyed him. With acid violence.

"Why are you not with Kagome-chan?" Kōga asked ignoring Sesshōmaru and slumping to his knees.

"Oh, we got in trouble—"

"That I know, why don't you return to Kagome-chan's side? I thought you and— he didn't get on?"

"Right," she muttered and Sesshōmaru neared them, hovering over her like an avenging angel. "We— we try."

A warm shaft of light slanted across Sesshōmaru's sharp and feral features and she laced her fingers together. 'Tried' was not the right description. He had all but guilt-tripped her into staying for Rin — who'd teared up when Chiharu tried to explain she had a sister to take care of — and when that didn't work well enough, he'd rather skillfully played her. Telling her without proper training (he'd snorted rudely when she'd mentioned Inuyasha's help), she would remain the groups' liability.

So she stayed.

"Kagome-chan says—" Kōga started but seemed to think better of it and Chiharu turned to Sesshōmaru with a frown. His expression was absolutely murderous.

"He's not a threat to either of us, Sesshōmaru, do you think it would be possible to let us talk without hovering?"

"Not a threat?"

"I would not harm Chiharu-chan." Kōga snapped as if the idea alone was ludicrous. Chiharu privately thought he didn't dare because she would either purify him, or he would be faced with Kagome's temper.

"I really wouldn't." Kōga continued and Sesshōmaru gave him a disdainful look. She almost heard him think; 'of course not, you're even less competent than she is', but Chiharu chose to ignore it.

"Hn, Miko return before dawn."

He disappeared through the foliage and she released a small breath, slumping back against the tall yellowed grass. In the early morning light, the coppery blood shimmered faintly and she felt her nerves tingling.

"What does 'Hn' mean?"

"It means you live another day." She told him matter-of-factly. "What kind of idiot are you? You can't take on Sesshōmaru. You have a nose, don't you? You can tell the amount of furious youki that is that Daiyōkai?"

Kōga frowned: "I heard rumours."

"You heard rumours," she repeated sarcastically, "and how many of them paint him as a nice samaritan who helps lost little fools?"

"Well, they didn't include mating human girls either." Kōga returned defensively. "Especially not girls who have the fast amount of spiritual energy you and your sister have."

"Kōga-kun, you don't really know the whole story. It's not as black-and-white as you make it seem. What were you doing here?" She asked slowly before eyeing the dead body at the feet of the river. "That's not Ginta-kun is it?"

"No, Kuna is always— was always trespassing. He didn't think about his actions and when I came here your mate was beating him to a pulp. I had to retaliate."

"Sesshōmaru is in many ways an arsehole, but he doesn't kill without reason, Kōga-kun." She muttered. Sesshōmaru didn't bother people he considered as beneath him. That was unless— "Unless, you're Inuyasha, of course."

"He doesn't like dog-breath either, huh?"

"Kōga,"

"When will you return?"

"Sesshōmaru is helping me train." She answered invasively. She was under the impression Sesshōmaru would not let her leave unless she was capable to defend herself. "Are you planning on seeing my sister again?"

"Of course I am, she's my mate."

"Right, of course, she is."

He was unbelievably stubborn. Chiharu blew a lock of hair out of her face and eyed the path Sesshōmaru had taken. The bond between them became harder and harder to ignore. Harder to shake off and Chiharu wasn't sure what had caused it. Nearness had never been a sole reason for her heart to beat faster nor had the distant awareness of his being, but—

It was now.

"Chiharu-chan, your face is flushing," Kōga commented dryly and she rolled her eyes.

"Can you tell them something for me?"

"Erm, sure?"

"Tell them, I'm fine and that we're heading north. That is Naraku is rumoured to be." She rushed out, ignoring the tingle of frustration that so often accompanied the thud of awareness in her head.

"Kagome-chan wanted me to say something to you too."

"Don't tell me you aggravated him to get to me?"

"No," he whispered, "although I did get to you either way."

"I see,"

"Apparently, there is some sort of test next week for Macs?"

Chiharu felt her face drain and her eyes widened: "Maths? Oh God, I haven't done anything for it!"

"Well, now you can truly see the resemblance," Kōga muttered as she frantically started rummage through the contents of her knapsack. Finding her calendar, who'd seen better days, she started to count the days. It should be around November which meant—

November 25, Mathematics test (chapter 12-21)

"Shit,"

If she missed too many tests they weren't going to pass this year either. She might have no problem with repeating one year. Repeating two years, was an entirely different story. Kōga was smiling pleasantly at her and although he played her, she was glad he'd found her. "Erm, it was lovely seeing you, Kōga-kun. I have to find Sesshōmaru again."

Kōga watched her go with a frown, but Chiharu felt the panic lacing her bloodstream and tying a knot in her stomach too strongly, to care. She ventured deep into the forest, following the distant beat of his youki. He wasn't concealing it, but he had concealed his scent. Perhaps this was another kind of test. She glumly followed his trail, already dreading the argument that would ensue.

A soft drizzle had started and in mere minutes her fringe was plaster to her forehead and her clothes clung to her body. She took slow, measured steps when she heard his heartbeat as well and slowly looked around. Where was that white-haired idiot?

"Erm, Sesshōmaru?"

"Miko,"

Her breath hitched and she followed the low baritone of his voice up into a large pine tree. He regarded her coolly. Damp silver hair clung to his shoulder and his breastplate was still missing. It took her one large jump before she was up next to him, noticing thin rivulets of water sliding enticingly down his throat and she shook her head. It was hardly the moment to start entertaining stupid thoughts, yet again.

"I have a test," she gasped softly before shaking her head. She had more than one. She had a week full of tests; the worst by far would be mathematics. "You have to let me go home."

"You're not well enough to fight on your own." He told her matter-of-factly.

"It's not that kind of test." She hurried to say and he peered at her through heavy-lidded eyes.

"Miko,"

"You act like a parent, Sesshōmaru." She muttered before licking her lips. He followed the motion and she clamped her mouth shut. Overthinking her next words carefully. "I am thankful for your aid. Very thankful even, but I have a life and responsibilities that have nothing to do with collecting the Shikon Jewel shards. I love Rin-chan. I tolerate Jaken, mostly because despite his own weird unpleasant way, he still grows on you and I— I like you when the mood takes me but I do have responsibilities. Made promises."

His expression didn't change and she carefully prodded his aura with her own. "I— I don't know why you were and still are so willing to train me and I'm glad because you're a very skilled and strong fighter," she continued, her cheeks blazing hot, "But I need— I really need to do this test. I need to find my friends and—"

He cocked his head to the side, damp hair caressing his shoulders as the arms of a lover and she swallowed thickly. It would be far easier if she could somehow travel with him and with her sister… And that wasn't even all that impossible either.

"Sesshōmaru," she started slowly and his muscles tensed slightly as if he somehow knew she was going to say something he wouldn't like. "We have a common goal."

"Naraku," he admitted knowingly.

"Why don't you come and travel with us?" Chiharu asked. "Rin would have someone her age and also several more people to look after her. Also, in the fight with Naraku there would be more of us and although I do not doubt your strength you fight with honour and Naraku does not. All of this would go over so much quicker!"

Or at least, that was what she hoped. She knew for sure that Inuyasha would not like it, but he would be an addition. Even if she would probably have to placate either one of them more times than she cared to admit. And she would feel much better, being able to hide behind her sister or Sango when Sesshōmaru looked at her like that…

"Please,"

He let out the sort of sigh: "Fine."

 _To be continued…_

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 **A/N: I will return to my normal update schedule of once a week, but because of the long wait, I'll be updating the next chapter on Tuesday and still update again around Thursday or Friday. I hope that somewhat makes it up to you.**

 **Let me know what you all think.**

 **Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi**


	39. Chapter 38, Bonds through time

**A/N: thank you all for the wonderful comments. I'm honoured everyone is so understanding and even some people were worried about me. Thankfully I'm back and I've got a new chapter for you all. Enjoy and let me know what you'll think:)**

 **Tomorrow I will be back to answer all of your wonderful comments.**

 **On to the new chapter^^**

* * *

 **o.O.o**

* * *

 **Chapter Thirty-Eight, Bonds through time**

 **W** ith November reaching its end, the weather had turned cold and the first snow fell. A thin layer of white dust had accumulated on the windowsills, sparkling gently in the soft light of the sun. The large school building of The Devine Jewel seemed slightly grey against the white winter weather and the teachers and students alike were nervously awaiting the end of the week. Bustling corridors and cluttered classrooms. There was a noisy chatter coming from the classroom of class 4B.

Midterm exams were finished and both Chiharu and Kagome were nervous about the results. They both knew the future was uncertain. None of them knew what would happen in the foreseeable future, but they'd decided to keep as many options open as they could. That meant returning to school for tests and a better excuse as to why they missed so many lessons. Mono was a good excuse. It worked for now.

Chiharu Higurashi was sitting in her customary front-row desk, ankles crossed and pencil poised above her notebook, listening as the teacher explained the theory of the new few mathematics chapters. Chiharu carefully shot a glance at her sister. Kagome was frowning at her mathematic book, looking as if she hoped it would start explaining the theory and formulas soon, because she didn't seem to get it. Behind her Hōjo was staring hopefully at her and Chiharu pursed her lips thoughtfully. He smelled— odd.

She'd even go as far as saying he smelled like sexual frustration and broken dreams, but she didn't think such had a smell, but if it did it smelled like him. Twirling her pencil between her thumb and index finger, she watched them some more.

'Observe and learn,' Sesshōmaru had said, although Chiharu doubted she was supposed to observe and learn (possibly for blackmail material) about her sister (although knowing Sesshōmaru, it might be designed especially to find weak points in detested siblings), she knew Kagome had stopped speaking to him. From what she gathered from her conversation with Eri-chan a physical relationship hadn't worked between the two of them. Chiharu had not known there was a physical relationship between her sister and anyone.

It worried Chiharu greatly, because knowing Kagome's often rash decision making it might be true. And that meant that, not only had her big sister exchanged sexual favours with a boy who'd obviously liked her, Chiharu was now the only one left not knowing the strange appeal sex had.

Where were the times when they were children, were they speculated about the future? Chiharu had liked to speculate with Kagome. Even when she was older and fell into the well, she had liked speculating, embarrassing Sango-chan that one time at the Hot springs and push Mirōku's buttons. It had been harmless, but now— Now everyone was growing up even more and she felt as if she was frozen in time. Besides, trying out new things was a no go. Sesshōmaru was too controlling.

Running her fingers through her hair, she brought her attention back to her notes.

They must have started the 'almost-a-relationship' last summer, but she hadn't even thought about the possibility. Chiharu suspected it was their mother, telling Kagome to taste the world first, when she'd been upset with Inuyasha, but Chiharu didn't think this was what their warm, jovially mother had meant.

"Higurashi-san," the teacher started and Chiharu straightened in her seat. Kagome hid behind her textbook, her ears turning red and Chiharu glared at her. She stared at her teacher again and gave him a strained smile. There was a mathematical structure on the blackboard behind him.

"Yes, Sensei?"

"Can you solve this problem?"

She bit her lip: "Erm, sure."

She slowly crossed the classroom to the blackboard, chewing lightly on her lower lip. She'd been mediocre at Mathematics last year, but now that they were repeating the year, she should be all right. Rolling the chalk stick through her fingers she started to simplify the formula.

Chiharu came home four days ago, meeting her sister just as she'd hauled herself over the rim of the well, the harsh sounds of the Modern Era. Kagome hugged her enthusiastically exclaiming how much she missed her and even Inuyasha grudgingly admitted he was glad she was all right. Of course he didn't know what she'd offered his half-brother, but than again, Sesshōmaru had not truly agreed to come and travel with them either. He was as evasive as always, but at least he'd agreed to let her return to her friends.

She bit her lip dividing the y and frowned.

He would be waiting though. He wanted to make sure she could fight an assailant off, even without her youki. It was tiring and irritating at the same time. She wasn't sure where the new possessiveness had grown from.

Chiharu sighed again and rubbed the bridge of her nose. Her sense of smell was difficult to ignore that day. It was good, perhaps even better than normal, and she could hardly ignore the disgusting 20th century smell, coming in through the open window and shook her head.

"Higurashi-san?" The teacher asked slowly and she smiled tightly.

"I'm sorry, Sensei." She whispered softly. "I'm not feeling very good. Stomach cramps."

The man, who was reaching his late forties, looked rather disturbed by that comment and Chiharu felt her cheeks warm up. Of course the man would assume she was having a period. Men were stupid after all. With more aggression than necessary, she wrote down the answer and stomped back to her desk.

I-I. ⌡. Γ┐

Kagome flushed darkly when she finally admitted she had done something stupid. It wasn't Hōjō though and that sort of explained the longing, angry look he threw her. Hōjō had been the one walking in on them. A handsome PE intern who was with them for two months. It was practically a teacher even if the boy was only eighteen-years-old and Chiharu's mouth fell open.

"A teacher?"

"He's an intern." Kagome answered defensively.

"But still," Chiharu whispered, "Damn Onee-chan, I thought you'd just had some fun with Hōjō-kun. Didn't even consider the option of someone else."

"Inuyasha and I were fighting and you were— well, let's face it, you were scared shitless. He approached me after class. We started to talk and went out for a drink. During Ami-chan's party I met him again."

"I see." She whispered, curling one leg up on her chair and tucked her knee below her chin.

"Are you all right?"

"Fine, Kagome." Chiharu whispered, "Just some cramps. Anyway, who is it?"

The cafeteria is crowded and for a moment Allyson was worried that she couldn't hear her question, but after several seconds, Kagome reluctantly pointed the good-looking, tall, dark-skinned boy out. She recognized his shiny black hair and fine-boned patrician features immediately and her face paled when he gave her a haughty grin.

Kagōme had never known she knew him though.

Arjun Nori sat down at the teacher table, next to their old Gymnastics teacher and Kagome hid her face in hands. Chiharu's expression was blank, her brain needing several seconds to process what she was feeling and she slowly turned towards her sister.

"Him? Arjun Nori?"

"I know it's wrong," Kagome whispered softly. "Ami-chan smuggled in some sake from her brother during her birthday party at Karaoke and he— Well, he's handsome isn't he?"

"Sake is just rice-wine." Chiharu whispered back, forgetting the dormant ache in her lower belly and frowned. She knew he was handsome. She had thought him to be handsome too, which had been the largest reason how he'd seduced her before.

Kagome gave her an knowing look and Chiharu flushed slightly.

"But you slept with him?"

"Erm, no." She retorted. "I think he called it third base."

"I'm feeling sick."

And she was. Chiharu peered at Arjun again, meeting his eyes from across the room and felt a the sting of surprise rung through her, when he didn't look away. His gaze was piercing and deceptively hard and she had the distinct feeling he had hooked up with her sister because she had ditched him. Her temples ached in irritation and her power cackled.

"Chiharu-chan!"

"I'm sorry," she whispered softly. She didn't leave Kagome's side again.

Arjun never approached the both of them and after Chiharu admitted she'd dated him briefly, Kagome decided she never wanted to see him again either (muttering just like Kikyō). Chiharu wisely kept her mouth shut and followed her sister out of the school. Her mood sour, beyond sour even and Chiharu crossed the schoolyard.

When they were little, Kagome dreamed about dating a cool and handsome boyfriend at high school. Go to college, fall in love, marry and then start a family. She'd even named several of her future children and with Inuyasha that dream had come crashing down. They still could have a family, Chiharu supposed, but going into High school and dating wasn't a possibility.

It was another part of Arjun's charm. He had nothing, absolutely nothing to do with the Sengoku area, nothing to do with Inuyasha and his morning about Kikyō, who was or was not actually alive, and therefore was a reprieve. At least, she wasn't in love with him.

"How are you not furious?" Kagome asked softly, unlocking her bike and Chiharu dumbed her bag into her panniers.

"Because I didn't love him, Onee-chan." She whispered back. That had essentially been the problem all along. She'd hoped she would feel something aside from attraction, but nothing ever happened. In the end attraction just wasn't enough. "I am furious what he did though. Enough so to go back to school, wait him up behind his house and kick his arse."

"You sound like Inuyasha."

"Well, I finally understand where he's coming from." She whispered, gripping the handles of her bike tightly and kicked back the kickstand, swinging herself into her seat. Kagome pedalled after her and soon they had a swift pace going.

"You're not seriously going to do anything are you?"

"No," she admitted. "I'm going to pack my stuff, mediate and return to Sengoku-jidai. I think you should deal with this yourself, anyway."

"Well, I'm not. I'll return immediately. I promised the group presents after the tests and Inuyasha—"

"You want to see him. I get it."

And she did.

They took the hidden path up towards the shrine, squarely dodging Goshinboku and drove up onto the brick stone path towards the well house. Both girls secured their bikes against each other and they stumbled towards the house. Kagome almost immediately started stuff food (noodles, candy and the dark chocolate Mirōku liked) in her bag and Chiharu ventured upstairs.

She listened to her sister cry frustratedly and Chiharu ran her fingers tiredly through her hair and sunk back onto her bed. For once, Sesshōmaru was not on her mind.

 _To be continued…_

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 **A/N: So several of you were right. Arjun is a bit of an arsehole. And, he will be back, but don't worry. He'll be dealt with. Tomorrow the next chapter will arrive and the main focus will be on Sesshōmaru, but for now. Enjoy!**

 **Inuyasha does not belong to me, but to Rumiko Takahashi.**


	40. Chapter 39, Your Father's Son

**A/N: And here is chapter thirty nine. In truth this is chapter forty and as a way to celebrate I'll be doing a request. It's okay if people are not interested (I used to do so with drawing when I was younger), but know that I will do a few one-shot request stories as a gift (it's also almost my birthday and I like to something like this)^^**

 **Anyway, thank you all for all your wonderful reviews. Like always I love them very much so feel free to leave them:)**

 **Enjoy!**

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 **o.O.o**

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 _ **Chapter Thirty-Nine, Your Father's Son**_

 **V** enting streams of soft light scattered across the earth and the cold autumn air blazed around him. As Lord of the Western Lands, Sesshōmaru, supreme ruler, didn't like to be summoned. In the past two-hundred years it had barely ever happened and he soured through the sky, furiously. His youki curled around him as he weaved through the sky. The large air fortress his father had build when he'd been just a child loomed up before him and he gracefully leapt at the stone entrance of the castle. Two guards gasped when he stepped into the light of the torches and almost fell over their own feet to open the double doors leading into the moonstone hall.

"My Lord," his closest advisor squeaked, skipping to a stop when he noticed him, but Sesshōmaru ignored the daintily looking man.

The doors to his mother's throne room, which she used as her personal feeding place, opened automatically. His mother, as beautiful and elegant as he'd remembered was lounging in her usual throne, legs tucked to on side. Her fur-trimmed kimono hung snugly at her form and Sesshōmaru suspected she had washed herself recently.

At the base of her throat her celestial amulet gleamed, but Sesshōmaru has no interest in her necklace that day.

"Haha-ue," he greeted slowly, clawed fingers briefly fan over the scabbard of his sword.

"My son," she retorted softly, red lips curving upwards, "it has been so long."

He exhaled softly, already tired with the upcoming conversation and she cocked her head to the side. "I've heard so many stories about your strength, my Son. Roal tells me the Western lands have remained almost complete peaceful for four decades."

"Hn,"

"How like your father are you," Inukimo commented, nimble fingers playing with the gleaming blue stone of her necklace. Sesshōmaru stiffened and his mouth drew back in a sneer.

"Haha-ue?"

"I know about your human pet." She clarified, cocking her head to the side. "If you can even call her human that is. How much of your power did you grant her to do what you did?"

"Is this why you asked for me?"

Inukimo smiled coldly, feigning contemplation. "Yes and no. A human was not what I expected of course, but the council would like to see a strong mate. Is she strong?"

"She is not my mate, Mother," he retorted exasperatedly.

"No," Inukimo admitted and he noticed the dark, dried blood caked beneath her nails, "but she is pretty, is she not?"

He clenched his teeth. This was not a conversation he was willing to have. Especially not with his mother. "This is not a conversation we'll be having. Suffice it to say that the girl was a enjoyable distraction."

"Chi-haru, right?" His mother asked, her voice almost simpering, and she slowly ran the pads of her fingers over her fur-trimmed kimono. Her silver hair fanning over her shoulder and he eyed her blue amulet again before folding her hands in her lap.

He tilted his face back, hoping he would find patience in the ancient cracks of the ceiling before slowly moving towards the throne at her side. When he was younger he would take his place next to her quite often, every time his father went out to patrol. He took a seat and propped his arm up on his knee. "Hn, yes, Miko Chiharu."

"Yes, a Miko. A curious choice as well."

"Her spiritual gifts are no surprise to you. You've been researching her." He realised slowly, his mother's lips quirked up even more.

"Of course, I have."

"I do not need you nosying in my affairs."

"Of course, you do. I want to meet that girl." She sounded somewhat affronted and Sesshōmaru supposed it was only because the Miko had travelled home, that she wasn't here right that moment. His mother would have easily tested her. Her abilities and especially her original strength. It was something he would have to avoid at all costs.

"She—" he started, overthinking what it was he should say to make his stubborn mother back off. "She has been my entertainment."

"You've bedded her? How unusual. I was unaware of such curiosity to the human flesh."

"I haven't bedded her," he snapped briefly letting his youki flare. "I've been merely pushing Inuyasha's friends and his buttons."

Her expression turned sour at the mention of his half-brother and he felt a brief sing of victory travel through him. It was very brief though. His mother's expression turned cold and unreadable again and he pushed his silver hair over one shoulder. He'd pitied and worried for her when Chichi-ue betrayed her with the human wench Izayoi. It was for that reason she was allowed to remain Lady of the West, until he found someone to bare him a heir.

That did not mean, however, he appreciated her trying to get a grip on his life.

"If she's strong—"

"Haha-ue…" he slowly started but his mother paid his carefully veiled threat no mind and Sesshōmaru sat back in a way that would have considered defeat if he hadn't looked so displeased about it. His mother ignored it all and was giving a vivid description about the girl and how he should definitely bring her with him next time he decided to grace the Western Castle with his presence.

I-I. ⌡. Γ┐

Chiharu Higurashi was completely unaware of what irritated Sesshōmaru, but she could tell there was something upsetting him all the same. The irritated pulse of his youki in her system distracted her greatly. He was tiring in ever way she rubbed her fingers over her hakama clad legs. The curtains and windows in her bedroom were open and let the chilled winter air inside. Kagome had left for Sengoku jidai last evening and while she had planned going as well, she'd been feeling off all night.

So much even that her mother had insisted she'd stay in bed and go when she felt better.

Chiharu felt better. Just not all that much. Her stomach was still upset. She'd probably ate something bad and her nerves were all over the place. It was odd.

Buyō the family cat was sprawled out on her pillow and his tail waggled around in what Chiharu now new was an invitation to be scratched behind the ears. His yellowish cat eyes glowed dimly in the almost dark room and she smiled warmly. "I know little one, I would love to spend the rest of the night here with you, but I can't you know?"

The cat made a soft meowing sound and she smiled again, continuing to fold her underwear neatly and placed it in her knapsack. It wasn't exactly a knapsack, but just a normal bag (with the design of a knapsack). Chiharu liked as it was not memorable or stood out. People in Sengoku jidai often looked dumbstruck at Kagome's large pack and as she was planning on meeting Sesshōmaru now and then (probably much easier as he was traveling in the same direction to go after Naraku), she would want to blend in.

"Chiharu-chan?"

Her bedroom door slowly opened and Mrs Higurashi leant against the doorjamb. She was still wearing her pink frilly apron and her hair was slightly tousled.

"Yes, mama?"

"Are you sure you're not staying another night? You're still pale."

Chiharu smiled: "I promise I am fine. Fast embolism you know?"

Mrs Higurashi smiled worriedly and pressed her hand against her forehead. Allyson tried to smile reassuringly again. She was warm, warmer with a few degrees and her mother could probably feel the fever of her reiki and youki burning beneath her skin. Mrs Higurashi had never said so, but the extreme change in her daughter's body made her worry greatly.

She still wore a slight knit in her brow when Chiharu stepped in front of her mirror and fastened the blue haori around her waist with the pretty sash Sesshōmaru had gotten her. She met her mother's worried gaze through the mirror.

"Why do you worry so much more about me then about Kagome-Onee-chan?"

Her mother scoffed: "I worry about you two equally, but you are even less careful with yourself than Kagome is."

"That's not true—" Chiharu started before smoothing a stray lock of hair behind her ear and falling silent.

It was somewhat true she supposed. Her body and abilities had changed so much she gained an extremely dulled pain limit. Moreover, she was close to unbreakable and it had boosted her self convince quite a bit. If she fell out of a tree she would mostly have a scratch for the effort, while if Kagome fell— she would break bones that took a month or even longer to heal.

She sighed, fastening the scabbard of her sword at her hip and straightening her empty quiver on her back: "I could promise you, I'll be more careful. Would that help?"

"That would be good."

"If you could do something for me." Chiharu said smirking at her reflection.

Mrs Higurashi gave her an amused look and pulled Chiharu's hair back, combing her fingers through the thick mass: "And what's that?"

"When you see Arjun, and you happen to be with the car, try and drive him over."

Her mother chuckled, tying an old-fashioned bow in Chiharu's hair: "Don't worry. Your grandfather is dealing with it."

Chiharu grinned: "Save his soul."

Her mother smiled before embracing her from behind, enfolding Chiharu in her warm arms and she breathed out slowly. "Gonna miss you, mama."

"Tell that Lord— how does Kagome call him again— Lord Icicle to be decent to you."

"Lord Icicle?"

"She was upset."

Chiharu grinned again and they went towards the well house together. Sitting down on the ledge of the well, Chiharu smiled one more time at her mother, before pushing back and dissolved in the blink of an eye.

Travelling through time, even after some time, was still strange. When the bluish light around her faded, her feet landed quietly on the dirt and she slowly craned her neck, peering up at the sky. The ground below her was once again unyielding under her feet, no longer the free-fall it was when she would jump in the well and Chiharu felt around for the dense nest of vines. The sky above her was already darkening and she started to climb up.

She pulled herself over the lid of the well, nails clawing at the wood and feet trampling at the very air. The day had waned, the last rays of the sun slipping past the horizon and and inky darkness had already crept beneath the trees. There must have been a storm, because the forest-floor was littered with branches, leaves and large pieces of bark.

There was something else too and she froze.

She shivered when she noticed the heavy metallic scent of blood into he air. There were animal intestines tangled into a bush not too far from her and she didn't think those came from any storm. Rolling her shoulders to ease the sudden fear and tension that settled into her, she took a few steps away from the well. It was odd that she couldn't hear the chirping of birds or the soft rustling of small wildlife around. Carefully, she pushed her aura out, the youki crackling and lifting her hair up, but she sensed little.

"Definitely time to make myself sparse." She muttered and tightened the straps of her bag and started down the path towards the village of Edo. She didn't get far as suddenly the bushes moved and a large brown yōkai, with the height and width of a small truck stepped out.

He was large, brownish fur covering his body and large horns protruding from his head. His eyes were huge, bloodshot and blood coated his mouth. He obviously had been the one feeding on the animals and she realised with a sudden shock that human bones hung as a bizarre sort of necklace around his thick neck. His lips pulled back in a feral grin and he slowly inhaled, nostrils widening. "Hello there," he croaked and she felt her reiki surge. The instinctual response to protect herself.

Even worse, he was still able to conceal his youki.

Instinctively, she reached behind her for her bow and arrows, but realised with growing horror she didn't bring her arrows. Why would she? She'd been home and although you had your average bandit, she didn't need bow and arrows with most people. Her finger curled tightly around the handle of her sword.

He went for her. At least she saw that coming from a mile away and she dodged. She was faster than he was and as she ducked down, avoiding his claws she drew her blade. Twirling around on the ball of her foot, just as sesshōmaru had demonstrated more than once, she aimed for his left flank and smiled derisively when the beast howled. She'd pierced his upper leg, immediately drawing blood.

He swiped at her again, now more out of revenge than bloodlust and she took to the air. The sharp katana was unexpected and she gasped when it pierced her shoulder. Just as she'd seen Inuyasha do before, she punched at the blade. It made a sickening clang against her knuckles and a horrible pain shot up the appendage, but she ignored it, trying to gain distance away from him.

Chiharu scrambled backwards, fingers cradling her injured shoulder and her arm stinging like she poured acid over it. The bulky Yōkai charged at her again and Chiharu barely had time to move aside, creating a kekkai only in the nick of time. The monster howled when a large part of his arm burned against her shield and he dropped his sword. The fur on his hands and forearms fizzling with hostile holy power and she pointed the point of her own sword at him. It sputtered as Sesshōmaru's acid power made the fang turn a sickly green and her own aura pushed it forward.

He hadn't expected youki and reiki combined, as had so many others before him not expected, and she watched with a sort of morbid fascination as forty percent of his arm was melted away, leaving a bloody angry mass. She could see broken tendons and white from what must have been bone, poking out and felt slightly sick.

If the beast hadn't been furious, he was now and shōki started to leak from the monster's mouth. Shōki didn't hurt her, but the dark clouds of acid did make pinpointing him difficult. His aura was concealed (again) and with the rotting scent of death all around her, it was hard to tell where he would be coming from. She inched back, but suddenly sharp talons grazed her cheek and she stumbled, tripping over a fallen tree, her katana yanked out of her grip.

Evil yellow eyes glared at her, yet he still shot her a lewd look. "Your scent pleases me,"

The guttural sound of his voice made the heirs on her arms and the back of her neck stand on edge. She gasped when he eyed her up _that_ way and she felt her back connect with the base of the well. Thorns tore at the hem of her hakama and pierced the skin. He approached slowly and her fingers tightened around the smooth worn wood of the well.

"Your scent does not please me." She hissed back, her hand gripping tightly at the lid of the well and she swung her leg up, kicking down on the yōkai's head. The bulky beast slammed into the ground and she used his momentarily confusion to jump back, circle around the well and turned around. It was not the bravest move, but at least it would keep her safe. He quickly came after her and as she was about to jump up into the trees when he struck out. She gasped when talons pierced her shoulder blade and choked back a yell when he used the claws cutting through her flesh to push her into the ground.

She gasped and her temple smacked against a tree root nearby. The small cuts from the thorns had already begun to heal, but she could feel her own blood drench through the back of her clothing. He pulled her off the forest floor and turned her over.

"Get off me!" She snapped and he grinned menacingly at her. His nose pinched as he sniffed her neck and she brought her head up colliding harshly with his. He howled and she was satisfied when his nose cracked. The satisfaction was only brief because struck back, punching her in her face.

Her head snapped sideways and the earth was damp; mud caked her cheek as he punched the air out of her and pushed her haori up. She pushed her knee up, intent to kick him hard in the face, but suddenly his yellowy eyes widened and his mouth slacked open. She sensed _him_ a moment later and the amount of furious power that settled in the small clearing made her freeze as well.

"Enough,"

Sesshōmaru appeared in a flash of white and the yōkai jumped off of her as if she'd burned him, slamming into a tree. The Western Lord watched him with a detached sort of disinterest before looking at her. She recognised the I'm-going-to-kill-you look immediately and nervously yanked her haori back down over her stomach.

"Rogan," Sesshōmaru coldly stated, obviously already pushed past his patience point.

"My Lord," the yōkai croaked. The arrogance from earlier evaporated, but an intent glint still shone brightly into his eyes.

"What are you doing here, Rogan?"

"Just investigating M'Lord." the yōkai answered, not missing a beat. Chiharu slowly sat up and wiped her cheek with the back of her hand.

"I see," he whispered.

Chiharu felt goosebumps spread over her arms and legs. She had never heard so much hostility in one sentence and she wasn't the only one who noticed. The yōkai, Rogan apparently, slowly backed away, eyes huge. A chill had settled into her lower abdomen and she felt the immense aura that Sesshōmaru mostly contained flicker in the air. The Daiyōkai growled, producing a green acid whip extending from his talons and in one swipe he sliced the yōkai in half.

She watched the two halves fall to the ground with a morbid sort of fascination and blood started to seep into the muddy earth. It was foolish to forget how strong this man actually was…

Sesshōmaru slowly turned towards the girl and she peered up at him with wide eyes. She had not known he could do that and her fingers curled in her self-regenerating Haori. "Sesshōmaru?"

 **A/N: For those of you who wonder, sexual experience or lack there of is difficult for me to write about. I can't say why, but it makes me a bit queasy. Either way, Chiharu is a sixteen soon to be seventeen-year-old girl and I suppose her curiosity is only natural. In a way she's curious and actually wants it out of the way, so to say, like all of us are at some point, but for now she'll be unsure about it (after all, aren't we all about new things).**

 **And introducing; Sesshōmaru's mum. I'm not entirely sure how to write her (she didn't have that much screen time nor did she have much moment in the manga), but she seemed the type to scheme and very much slow his progression. Who wants to be compared to his detested father?**

 **For those of you who worry about Arjun: he'll gets what's coming to him:)**

 **Either way, like always, let me know what you'll think!** **Next update next week, around Thursday.**

 **Inuyasha does not belong to me, but to Rumiko Takahashi**


	41. Chapter 40, The Challenger

**A/N: And here is chapter forty^^ Nicely on time again. I won't keep you all too long away from the story, but I wanted to thank everyone again who takes the time to review. I'm always very glad with your motivating words!**

 **Once again, enjoy and leave a review!**

 **InuYasha does not belongs to me but to Rumiko Takahashi.**

* * *

 _ **Chapter Forty, The Challenger**_

 _'When the exact same genes appear in the exact same order, we call it reincarnation.' — Jupiter ascending_

 **T** he damp forest floor was slowly drenching into her clothes and she felt the material of her hakama turn cold. Chiharu's breath was still laboured from the shock, her eyes still wide. The large form of the yōkai slowly disintegrating, eroding into the ground. She slowly got up to her feet, catching herself on a low-hanging branch of a large oak tree and watched as the tall form of Sesshōmaru slowly turned around.

"I— Sesshōmaru?"

He looked as displeased as she'd ever saw him. She peered up at him with wide eyes and he stalked nearer. She wasn't sure what she was supposed to do and suddenly found herself being hoisted up by the front of her clothes. His scent was muskier than she'd remembered and his eyes were brighter than she'd ever seen. He looked angry or upset, she couldn't be sure.

"I wish to see it."

"What?"

"Your homeland…" He told her and she opened and closed her mouth, but no words came out.

Her eyebrows drew together and she wished she could stagger backwards. There was something about his eyes she didn't particularly like. Till now, he never had expressed the wish to see her _homeland_. She couldn't even remember what she'd told him about it, except that it was far away and that she travelled through a magic well. He seemed to have been stalking her and had already figured out she could travel through the magic that was integrated in every seam of the old well.

"This Sesshōmaru—" he started and she resolutely shook her head.

"You can't!" She told him hastily. "It won't let you through."

His eyes flashed dangerously at being told there was something he could not do. He dragged her with him until they were in the clearing where the well stood. His iron grip on her clothes loosened and she quickly stepped back, her eyes flitting around for a diversion. "Why did that Ranolf fellow attack me? I saw the way he eyed me and I noticed the way he spoke to you about it."

"You're fertile," he told her coldly. She didn't understand.

"So?"

He gave her a tired look. The emotion so obvious she easily picked up on it. "You are bound to me. There are enough foolish Yōkai who would easily force themselves on you, just to challenge me."

"Oh,"

"Oh?"

"I don't understand, I thought this," she pointed her index finger at the mark on her neck, "would warn off any other potential males. Or at least Yōkai males?"

"Hn," he answered, "won't stop them from challenging me."

 _'Marvellous,'_

She carefully rubbed at the already healing gash on her shoulder and peered at the remains of the Yōkai who had quite literally tried to jump her. She had thought he'd just wanted an easy fuck as Inuyasha once had called one of Mirōku's girlfriends and she exhaled slowly. Till now, she never had a period before. If she had been human she would by now have visited a doctor. But she wasn't just human and visiting a medical specialist would not help her. Still, being fertile meant it would come soon, didn't it.

She looked up again. Sesshōmaru was stoically looking at her and she slowly met his gaze again. "Thank you," she whispered.

He had saved her after all.

His eyes narrowed, face unreadable again. The sunlight made his silver eyelashes almost glow. His footballs beating against the forest floor were almost soundless as he approached her. She didn't think he was planning on hurting her, but with him she could never be sure. Two clawed fingers tipped her chin back, eyes flitting over her face, as if to inspect her. His eyelids fluttered when he sniffed her neck — much like Ranolf had done — and she was suddenly aware of a strange tingling in her finger tips.

"What are you—" she started, dully noting that her voice was breathless.

He closed the gap between them, his lips suddenly only inches away from hers. Her breathing turned more laboured. 'You don't have to be in love to desire someone.' The mark on her neck sent a chill down her spine and she leaned into him when his mouth clamped over hers. Fangs scraping over her lower-lip and her eyes fluttered closed while her fingers suddenly curled into the sleeves of his haori.

It had been impossibly different than the last time he'd clamped his mouth over hers. It was different from when Arjun had given her her first real kiss, different from when Inuyasha had pecked her and it was different from when Ikicko had _kissed_ her. When she was eight she'd kissed the neighbour boy as a dare. They had been childishly pressing their faces together, hardly really kissing and counting till ten. After that she remembered scrubbing her mouth with her tooth brush, her mother always insisted her on taking with her to school, to clean herself from the 'boy cooties'. She didn't remember how that _kiss_ had felt, but she was relatively sure, it hadn't felt like this. It was both uncomfortable and pleasant to hear the sound of her own beating heart pounding into her ears.

He broke away from her and trailed barely-there-kisses along her neck. She felt her cheeks warm considerably, but still angled her head so that he had better access. It was a whole lot different from the last time he had felt the need to demonstrate his superiority over her. As clawed fingers trailer over her hipbones she gasped and suddenly he wrenched himself away. She opened her mouth to say something, anything at all, but couldn't find the words to express her confusion. She wanted to kiss him again and her cheeks warmed even more.

Inuyasha had been clear when he explained his brother and his brother's politics to her. He felt disgusted with humans. Many yōkai did and how higher the rank, the more the superiority complex grew. His hold on her tightened for a moment, claws biting in her skin. She supposed if she had been human, she would have winced, but as she was it didn't bother her.

"You should return to the human village."

 _She really should…_

He looked as if he wanted to say something. His pupils were dilated. She was sure that meant he had been enjoying their activities. Her face heated more and she supposed her cheeks had the same _flattering_ colour as the scabbard of her sword. He slowly let go off her and she took in a shuddering breath.

"Miko,"

She nodded dazedly, her face had grown too hot and her breathing was laboured. Massaging the bridge of her nose she slowly turned on her heel and started down the forest path towards Kaede's village without a word. Obviously, he hadn't expected her gratitude. She suspected he didn't need it either, yet she was raised to be polite and as her mother always said, you catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar, so she thanked him. She wondered what 'fertile' smelled like. Obviously, it wasn't entirely a repelling scent either. The thought to ask Inuyasha briefly crossed her mind, but than she realised how extremely awkward that conversation would be and bit her lower-lip.

 _She was fertile… Did that mean she smelled nice?_

Chiharu slowly came to a stop and after a second dared to look over her shoulder but the imposing form of Sesshomaru was no longer visible. Probably fled as soon as he could. The idea made her feel a tiny bit better about the whole ordeal and she quickened her pace. There was a fire burning in Kaede's hut and she heard her friends and her sister converse softly. Thin whips of smoke rose into the air and the huts were knishes clustered in the valley below.

For a moment, she remained rooted to the spot at the edge of the forest. She felt a prickle at the edges of her senses and stared into the forest again. A tendril of your exited outward from the darkness and brushed against her. It didn't feel very unpleasant, yet, it creeped her out all the same. Perhaps he'd been more affected than he'd let on. Chiharu shook her head and started walking again.

Kagome had brought her blue bike and it was leaning against the wall of Kaede's hut. A small flock of chickens glared as she stalked past. She glared back and they clucked in what she could only describe as indignation. As if it was her fault they were there.

Inuyasha was seated on the roof of Kaede's hut, his amber eyes glinting in the light of the moon and she gazed at him with a frown.

"What?" She asked self-consciously and his face wrinkled as if saw something odd.

"You—"

He didn't finish his sentence and suddenly something buzzed around her head: "Chiharu-sama," Myōga the flee-yōkai jumped down and landed on her shoulder. She smiled almost robotically at him and Inuyasha jerked to his feet before dropping down onto the muddy earth next to her.

"Had fun in the woods?" He asked gruffly and she glowered at him.

"Oh, yes I had so much fun. Really, a lot of fun." she snapped back. "Something about smelling good to a creepy yōkai who tried to eat my intestines or thought he could charm his way into my knickers and oh had I mentioned your brother? No, I don't think I did, did I? I ran into your brother as well. It was somewhat of an awkward conversation."

Inuyasha turned slightly red and bristled. He was like a big child and ruffling his feathers was never the best idea. "Why did you not return with Kagome, you Idiot!"

"Because she had promised to bring you your Ramen. More over, I can take care of myself."

"Oh yes, I can tell. Either way, you could have gone with her. It's not my fault you're fucking stupid." He answered gruffly and she felt a muscle in her cheek jerk.

"Why don't you kiss my slippers, Inuyasha?"

"Ah yes, your scent." Myōga said, nodding knowingly from her shoulder effectively cutting off their argument and Chiharu crossed her arms over her chest.

"Oh marvellous, so you can tell too?"

"Yes," he muttered, inching back. "You don't have to worry though. To a full-yōkai fertility is merely an inconvenience. Don't get me wrong, Chiharu-sama, you do smell rather good, but no one is going to loose his head about it. Although, it's Master Inuyasha—"

"You better not finish that statement old fart!" Inuyasha threatened.

"You mean _he_ too?" Chiharu asked exasperated, stomping her feet childishly. "Well, you know what, I'm going to bed. I've had enough with men and smelling appealing and—" her breath hitched when Myōga had suddenly jumped on her shoulder and stung her. She slapped him away, her face flushing a dark red. "That's it, I've had it!"

With an angry growl she stomped into Kaede's hut, muttering about stupid marks and scents and males and threw her backpack, coated in mud and soil on the floor. Her friends curiously stared at her face and she huffed.

"Good evening!"

"What happened to you?" Her older sister asked and Sangō sat up with drawn eyebrows, taking in the stains on her hoari and her hakama.

"I don't want to talk about it." She huffed plopping down and hugging the cautiously approaching Shippō to her chest. His nose twitched and she almost screamed in horrified anger when his face turned troubled. His child-like face scrunched up in confusion, but after a moment the expression eased and the little kit snuggled into her before strolling over to his futon and fell asleep in mere seconds. Chiharu watched his serene face for several minutes before shrugging out of her haori. Sitting in only her tank top, she smiled tightly when Kaede pried it out of her fingers.

"The last time you tried to fix it, it looked like a patchwork my late husband would make." She told her seriously and left. Chiharu supposed she should feel somewhat insulted but stomped the feeling down and changed into her long, lime green pyjama shirt.

Inuyasha came into the hut as well and slumped down against the opposite wall, amber eyes fixed on her. She grumbled to herself before unrolling her sleeping bag and curling herself up into it. She could feel the heavy prickle of his stare.

"What happened to her?" Kagome asked.

"She had a run in with my arsehole of a brother." Inuyasha answered curtly and his analysis made Chiharu slightly wince. Ran in was not all that accurate. She had literally kissed him and she had liked it.

Squeezing her eyes shut she replayed tonight's events. She didn't think he'd ever given her such an intimate look before. She shuddered when she kept going over it again and again. But what worried her the most was how she had responded. She shouldn't have felt the slight thrill of excitement when his hand had fisted in her hair or closed her eyes when she'd felt his breath on her lips. She swallowed softly.  
Another set of emotions ran through her when the vivid image of Sesshōmaru flashed before her closed eyelids. Being connected with him, she supposed some attraction was to be expected, but would it also mean she should allow him to do whatever he wanted. She wondered if she would have let him push her face first into the dirt and take her right there in the woods, next to the wooden well.

That thought was so incredibly humiliating that she shook her head to herself. She wouldn't have. Kissing, yes, all right, she did and she might do that again, but allowing the arrogant idiot to do whatever he pleased without any consequences. She would not.

 _He was rather pretty though. Very, very pretty… He possessed an almost female like beauty that could take anyones breath away._

The idea that the Daiyoukai was very, very pretty in a not-so-masculine way, made her lips curl up and she closed her eyes. Perhaps it was wise to not come anywhere near him when she was _fertile_. Myōga might think that it was merely an inconvenience, she did not really want to test that hypothesis. She certainly thought the heated look he'd given her might have been a byproduct from that inconvenience. She certainly did not want to entertain any thought that it might have been for a different reason. Chiharu exhaled softly.

The last thing she wanted to do was to analyse and revisit that look of his again. Kami only knew what kind of havoc that might wreak on her neatly-ordered worldview.

 **I-I. ⌡. Γ┐**

Sesshōmaru watched the Miko go, his irritation with her making his skin crawl. She had never really touched a male before. Not sexually at least. He could tell. Her pulse had fluttered like a moth's wings under the delicate skin of her neck when he'd stepped closer. He could tell the sudden excitement. It had almost been enough to make him want to show the little thing what true excitement felt like. He certainly could imagine her innocent face in wonder as he—

He shook his head.

Her scent had grown far more appealing to him. He hadn't even realised she was fertile until he was moments away of getting himself to more bare skin. She smelled very good when she was fertile. She smelled pure and untouched. He certainly liked that smell. It was an unusual scent for a human female of her age and when he caught it, while patrolling the borders of his lands, it had made him far more willing to seek her out. His anger spiked a bit when he thought about Ranolf. While her body barely reached adulthood and smelled pure like a spring day after a rainy night, the idiot had tried to force himself on her. He'd seen red. She was his and she had just reached the stage where she could carry and give birth to his offspring. How dare that mongrel presume he could take the girl? Did those around him have no respect?

"My Lord?" Jaken's already bulbous eyes widened even more and he gruffly flipped his long hair over his shoulder. The same hair she'd curled her fingers into.

He hadn't really thought about that little side-effect. He certainly hadn't expected to be this drawn to her when she was ready to carry his offspring. It was a good lesson to stay away from her when she smelled that appealing. And if he was at it, forget the way her blood rushed quicker through her body, or the way her lower-lip had tasted when he ran his fangs over them. Jaken turned a shade paler when he peered up at his face and scuttled forward without a word.

Even without that particular scent or the small signs of excitement she'd so readily displayed, she was rather pretty wasn't she. She had quite bright eyes and was rather clever. He was absolutely sure he'd seen her read a book. Books weren't that common in this part of the world, so Sesshōmaru could only assume her and her sister had come from an influential Human family. Than there was the faint red bow of her lips curving in a smile when she was amused. He had noticed how her dark hair was rather alluring when she let it tumble freely down her back and shoulders, a healthy shine to it, in a time of war and death.

Sesshōmaru shook his head when they arrived at his camp. Rin was snuggled closely to Ah-Un. She was continuously asking about the Miko. Even Jaken seemed to have some sort of begrudging sort of respect for her. Sesshōmaru could only assume that it had originated from the Mark, Sesshōmaru himself had _given_ her.

The girl had used extreme caution when she addressed him that evening, but she knew on some unconscious level what he wanted from her that night. And how he'd wanted it.

With a soft sigh, Sesshōmaru stared up at the cold, brittle stars. He had spent many hours studying the Miko, through the simmering haze of their campfires. With each meeting, with each time he watched her, his troubling preoccupation with the young girl had intensified.

He really needed to stay away from her.

 _He did not want to become his father_.

* * *

To be continued...

* * *

 **Next update: Upcoming Thursday^^**


	42. Chapter 41, Killing Perfection

**Enjoy the new chapter.**

 **Inuyasha does not belong to me but to Rumiko Takahashi.**

* * *

 _ **Chapter Forty-One, Killing Perfection**_

" **Y** ou did what?"

Inuyasha's voice echoed through the forest and the others winced, while birds took into the air, screeching. The small group of shard hunters had began traveling once the cold rainy days had mostly passed and tracked further up north every day. The higher their small group climbed, the more a bleak land spread out below them. To the north lay the frozen sea, large sheets of ice pressed together as if the waves itself had frozen over. To the other side high mountains, great jagged peaks thrusted sharply upwards, threw large shadows over the meadow. The peaks, white from the snow, reflected the bright rays of sunlight and Chiharu squinted against the light.

Perhaps, telling Inuyasha about her sudden request to his hated half-brother, had not been wise and she was trying, and failing, to ignore his furious complaints.

"Please say that again?" Inuyasha gruffly demanded and Chiharu rolled her eyes, a small cloud of her youki unfurling around her in irritation.

"I asked your brother to join us?"

His face turned a deep, dark red and he sneered: "Why the fuck would you want that Bastard to join?"

"Honestly, because I like spying on him when he goes mediating in little more than his Hakama every morning." She told him sarcastically and Kagome's eyes lighted up like the little lights on their annual fir-Christmas-tree, while Inuyasha made retching noises.

"He does that?"

Chiharu smiled, somewhat amused at the way her older sister picked up on her irritated sarcastic mean streak. "Yes, _every_ morning."

"That sounds quite wonderful, don't you think Sangō-chan?" she gushed happily and Sangō, normally so very reserved when their conversation turned to man or anything remotely sexual, smiled.

"Yes, I suppose it would. Who knows what it is that man is hiding?" Sangō agreed dryly. It was so unlike her that Chiharu almost forgot what they were even talking about. Mirōku shot her a shocked and horrified look, his eyes wide.

Kagome grinned. "Well, he's quite tall and broad-shouldered. One can only imagine how much tempting man flesh is hidden under all those layers of armour and silk."

Chiharu smirked, sharing a predatory look with the other girls when everyone recognised how creeped out both Inuyasha and Mirōku had become. Sesshōmaru did meditate every morning, only dressed in his hakama and even though she joked about it, he did make a nice view. He was tall, very well built and if he wasn't such an arse half of the time, she was sure she would have been greatly distracted during their meditating sessions.

"Not to mention what fair skin he has," Kagome opted and Chiharu ran her fingers through shippō's hair. He was looking up at her with curious eyes.

"Why is it nice to watch Sesshōmaru bath?"

"Not bath, Shippō-chan. Meditate." Chiharu snickered.

"But he's naked?"

"Partly." She nodded. "Would certainly give a nice view if he was completely naked."

Inuyasha was turning a most charming fuchsia and Kagome pedalled forward on her bike, jumping off of it when she was next to Chiharu. "Wouldn't you want to know where else those markings of his circle around?"

Chiharu almost chocked on her laughter and Inuyasha's face had grown so red, he resembled his firerat Haori. "I'm going to go ahead. See if there's a village nearby."

He left in a flurry of red and white and Mirōku hurried after him. "You can't leave me with them!"

All three girls laughed loudly, Sangō leaning on her great Boomerangbone for support and Chiharu hugged Shippō tightly (who still didn't understand why everyone was acting so scandalised).

"Did you see his face?" Kagome asked pushing her dark hair behind her ears. "Did you see his face?"

"It was wonderful." Chiharu laughed, emerging in a small clearing with a little creak. "Perhaps a little break, before we go and look for him again?"

Kagome nodded gratefully and dropped her bike with a thud. Chiharu slumped down in front of the creak of water and cupped up some cold water, washing her face and running her damp cold fingers along the back of her neck. Kagome filled her water bottles, while Sangō scratched Kirara behind her ears and Mirōku, still somewhat flustered massaged his cursed right hand. They stayed in a pleasant mood, until they found Inuyasha again. His skin tone had improved to a light pink, but his scowl remained. It was oddly disarming he was so creeped out by his brother's— well, deathly perfection.

At the western end of the horizon saw-toothed mountains towered over the forests and little whips of smoke ascended from a village nearby. Chiharu remained a few steps behind their small group, trying to think about the Daiyōkai.

She hadn't seen Sesshōmaru the last few days (probably in hiding for her oh-so-wonderful scent) and she grimaced. It had been several days since her altercation with Sesshōmaru and the heat-thing still wore on. She had always thought a female's ovulation only lasted for 24 hours, but apparently her altered metabolism had changed that part as well. She supposed that this heat period was the first one that had occurred — she was sure she would have noticed otherwise — and she wondered when or perhaps even if she would have her menstruation.

When the sun began to descend a small village came into view. Their unusual group always attracted a lot of attention and that was no different. As several villagers spotted the dog-eared male and the enlarged Firecat Kirara people reacted immediately. Chiharu suspected, seeing the damage done in the past to the trees and the foliage around them, that the village had had a yōkai-terrorised past. Her suspicions were proven correct in the next few minutes as several men armed themselves with farm implements and the woman and children shuttered away for cover.

"Mononoke," an elder whispered, pointing a pitchfork at Inuyasha.

"No," a monk stated and the elder unconsciously gripped his pitchfork tighter.

"But his ears?"

"No youki," the monk crisply told him and Inuyasha's amber eyes narrowed in irritation and claws flexed in response. Mirōku threw up placating hands and stepped between the Hanyō and what seemed like the village elder.

"Greetings," he started gently and Chiharu watched as the young man worked his magic, securing them once again a free hut to stay the night in. An older Monk gave her a dubious look, probably sensing Sesshōmaru around her, but she knew she looked too human for him to understand.

Human mates were scarce.

True human like yōkai even more. To those who knew where to look fore, there was always something inhuman about them. The ears (often the most tell-tale), but also the eyes or the weird markings. She shook her head.

Human mates on the other hand—

She wasn't even sure if it was even done before. She didn't think so, Sesshōmaru had definitely expected her to die. Not survive and irritate him as thoroughly as she did, but then again, she could be wrong.

"He's still staring at you." Sangō stated softly and Chiharu nodded. The Monk was glaring at her with the sort of ferocity she'd come to accustomed with the looks she got from the villagers of Edo (although their distrust had lessened a bit).

"He probably senses the youki."

"Didn't sense it on Inuyasha."

"You're right, that's odd." Chiharu agreed, silently following after Sangō. The hut was small, but consisted out three rooms and a corridor like hall. Kirara bounded forward as a little kitten, her fluffy yellow tail waggling behind her and further down the hall, Kagome's and Inuyasha's voices sounded.

"They're having an argument." Chiharu snorted, but Sangō had already pushed the mat to the second room aside.

Kagome and Inuyasha were standing opposite of each other. Chiharu's older sister's face was red and Inuyasha's ears had flattened against his head. Strangely, the dubious couple hadn't quarrelled much over the past few days, but whatever truce they'd found the end had been reached.

"—being stubborn, Inuyasha!" Kagome hissed irritatedly and Shippō's claws dug into her shoulders in anxiety.

"Feh, get of my case, woman." He snapped annoyed before turning on his heel and stalking down the corridor. Chiharu ignored Kagome's furious face and stepped past her, into the girls' bedroom. Three futons had already been prepared on the wooden floorboards and red coals smouldered in the dingy hearth in the middle of the room. Putting a couple of logs on the fire, Chiharu slumped down against the wall and ran her fingertips over the hilt of her sword. Drawing it, she went through the process of sharpening the katana before focusing on fixing the straps of her quiver.

Time passed. Light faded and the sun descended. As the inky blackness spread over the sky, the stars glittered in the sky, winking down at the people below them. The temperature dropped quickly after dark and Chiharu hugged a thin blanket around her form and peered absentmindedly up towards the sky through the window. A storm was brewing on the Eastern horizon and the air was electric with whispers from the forest, alive with the tearing wind, the pounding of feet against the forest floor and an aura, she knew well. She wasn't sure why Sesshōmaru was there, if he wasn't actively seeking her out.

She glanced at the sky again and froze.

Except of the sky dotted with a sea of stars there was no moon. Getting to her feet again, she dropped her quiver and let her katana slide to the floor.

Inuyasha was alone in the first bedroom, insisting on having a room for himself. He was leaning against the wall when she entered, his fluffy eyes pressing against the top of his head. The fireplace in the middle of the room was burning and Chiharu watched for a moment as the flames roared along the resinous twigs before crossing the room.

"What do you want?" He snapped defensively and she crouched down in front of him.

"That's why you were fighting, right?" She asked softly. "It's the night of the full moon!"

His face flushed again and she noticed the shine of his eyes had disappeared. She leaned a bit back when a ripple went through the air and his ears flattened even more against his skull. She'd never seen him transform human before and she stared as transfixed.

It began at the top of his head, his ears flattening against his skull, disappearing and his hair darkened until it was inky black. His pale skin darkened a bit, turning more lively and his amber eyes bled into a chocolate brown, pupils turning circular.

It was— very odd.

"What are you staring at?" He snapped irritatedly. She understood now why he had been so willing to find shelter for the night. She wasn't all that sure how she could have forgotten either.

On a small table a lone candle glowed gently, casting of a circle of muted light.

"Why didn't you just say it was the new moon tonight?"

"Why should I?"

She blew a lock of hair out of her face and rolled her eyes. "You always insist on making everything so so hard for yourself."

He averted his eyes and she slumped down on the floor.

"What does it feel like?"

"Transforming?"

"Yeah."

"Like being dunked in the cold water."

"Weird." She muttered and he gave her a pointed look.

"You and my brother…"

"I know he's an idiot but—"

"Be careful." He interrupted softly, looking oddly protective. "If he comes travelling with us—"

"I know your not happy with it, but he is strong."

"He's also an arrogant arse."

"Inuyasha," she sighed softly, "think about it. He hasn't agreed of course and right now and with our current problem I think he'll stay away from me as far as possible."

"Thank God for small miracles." He muttered softly and she sniggered at his unusual phrase. She and Kagome were rubbing off on him. "It's really hard to imagine him sniffing after you…"

It took a moment for the hidden meaning of his words to sink in and she flicked a pebble (probably taken accidentally or not from outside) at his knee.

"Oi!"

"You deserved that."

"The hell I did!"

"Oh, stop acting like a baby. Could have hit you on your head, just as easily." She told him dryly. "But if he were to agree, you know your brother, do you think you could reign your temper in enough for you two to work together?"

The tatami-mat fluttered and Kagome and Sango moved into the room. Sango was carrying some sweet rice wrapped a heart-fruit leaf and Kagome held three full bottles of water close to her chest.

"Here is the food." Sango said stiffly and Chiharu's nose wrinkled.

"Where's Mirōku?"

Her eyes flashed and Chiharu accepted the beverage and the food without another word. So he had prowled off with some other girl again. They ate in an uncomfortable silence and Chiharu moved her knees up under her chin.

 _To be continued…_

 **A/N: and Mirōku is philandering jerk. Nothing new here. And Sesshōmaru, you're such a fool. Being fond of another life form isn't a weakness, but then again, of course, you would think it is. He's getting somewhere of course. This chapter was a bit more lightheaded and I truly enjoyed to write the girls fluster Inuyasha and Miroku (what about all of you^^). Either way, Inuyasha's human problem's bound to become a problem of course. Stay tuned for the next chapter and…**

 **Of course, let me know what you'll think! I so love your reviews and words of wisdom:)**

 **This chapter is a day too early, but since I'll be home late tomorrow and have a long day at Friday, I'm not sure I'd made it on time. Therefore, enjoy an early threat and next update next week.**

 **See you!**


	43. Chapter 42, A honest answer

**A/N: For those who have been waiting so patiently for me to update this: greetings! I'm so sorry for my long absence, but I will try to better my life. I promise. This is chapter forty-two of A tale of two sisters and I will tell you, we are getting near the end (still a good 18 chapters, but still). Please enjoy this new chapter, and let me know what you all think!**

 **Thank you for taking the time to read and follow this story. You lot make writing such a treat!**

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 **o.O.o**

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 _ **Chapter Forty-Two, A honest answer**_

 **L** anterns and torches flickered in the night and Lord Sesshōmaru, Lord of the Western Lands crouched down on a high branch, not too far away from the human village his little Miko had gone to. He knew why they had travelled to the shelter of the small huts, clustered together so closely, and it had nothing to do with the stormy air that was coming.

He frowned. He'd only seen Inuyasha shed his Hanyō form once almost a century ago, but he didn't remember the strange human scent that immediately altered his natural one. Just like the yōkai scent, it was without even a trace of the mixed scent he normally carried.

Oddly, even though his Miko was in many ways similar to Inuyasha. Her scent wasn't all that mixed up normally either. Yet, Chiharu Higurashi, still had the sweet lingering scent of her heat clinging to her, but at least the worst was over. He wished he could say the strange desire she'd awakened in him was too, but even now his fascination with her remained strong. The last few days he'd kept close an eye on her (although from a safe distance) and was at least relatively pleased his mother hadn't tried looking for her.

It would have just been like his mother to go looking for her—

Or any other yōkai who would have liked to challenge him. Yet, when Ranolf loomed over her, he'd lost his temper. He felt the corner of his lips rising mirthlessly and cracked his knuckles.

It had been a very, very long time since he'd truly lost his temper. His control and in the end had killed the sorry excuse because if he hadn't, he would have drawn it out. Would have harmed him, tortured him, until he would have begged for mercy.

With a barely audible snarl, Sesshōmaru stood from his crouched position and pushed a lock of silver hair away from his face. This whole situation he'd created was getting ridiculous. Logic dictated that if a human girl became such a distraction he should dispose of her. Should have disposed of her all those months ago when she stopped being useful to his course of regaining Tetsusaiga. He hadn't even tried to get his hands on Tetsusaiga after the whole debacle with the Wind Scar last autumn and the girl—

"So naive and foolish." He muttered stealing another glance at the human village. Through the windows from which still the light emerged, he noticed the girl moving along her room. The floorboards creaked under her feet and suddenly, she turned on and stared outside as if she knew he was watching her. Instinctively, she'd often realized when he'd watched her before and now, after he'd so willingly taught her how to use her powers, he supposed she might act less instinctively and more knowingly.

Her eyes pierced through the dark, but no matter how well her senses had become, she could not see him. Yet, she still sensed him and he let out a frustrated sigh; he had the distinct impression that disposing of her was no longer an option.

Fingers itching, he pressed his thumb and index finger against the bridge of his nose, breathing out slowly. Her aura brushed tentatively against his and he felt his own push out against hers lightly. Yōkai mated for life. No matter what his initial plan might have been, his aura recognised her as such. An aura which was suddenly coming closer and he straightened, his hair flailing in the wind.

Chiharu Higurashi was dressed in her usual Miko garb but had added a soft, flowing scarf. Silver eyebrows rose in question. Even with the wind, chilly from the early autumn air, coming to the other side, he should have been able to scent her now. Yet—

He inhaled deeply. Her scent was off.

His eyes narrowed. She appeared much the same as always, face pale and those insufferable eyes, alight with her power. Her hair, dark and glossy, was tousled and she tucked a lock of it behind her ear. Eyes flitted around and her eyebrows furrowed.

"I know you there, you know?"

He cocked his head to the side, his agitation slightly lessening and he dropped down, landing soundlessly on the forest floor below. Her latent reiki stirred beneath her skin when his Youki washed over her and he felt some of his hesitations flee away. Even subdued and surrounded by his Youki, the girl was deadly. Of all the humans, this one would have been truly strong—

 **I-I. ⌡. Γ┐**

Chiharu Higurashi stretched out luxuriously on her futon, laying on her back. It was turning out to be a chilly autumn and she considered the serious possibility of a frigid winter. She had waited until she was sure Inuyasha was asleep and then slowly got up to her feet, dropping her sleeping bag over his somewhat pale form. He was frowning, the glow of the slowly dying fire gently fell upon his face and he looked peaceful. Chiharu pursed her lips slightly. Even in his human form, he was strong but not very stocky, not yet as formed as a grown man, but of course, bodily he didn't seem much older than a fifteen-year-old was.

He didn't seem much older than she was. Although, he had become more mature than he'd been before. The way he'd been when she and Kagome had met him all this time ago. She peered at his relaxed face, at the way his dark eyelashes sometimes fluttered

She bit her lip, momentarily staring outside through the window before busying herself with the dishes, folding herself neatly into the nook of the room. The night was still young, but at least it was silent and calm. Chiharu didn't sense any malicious auras nor did she smell blood, sweat or old iron.

Chewing on her cheek, she rubbed the bowls they'd used during dinner with a cloth until they looked clean. She felt oddly restless, even without looking she sensed Sesshōmaru's nearness. He had stayed away in the sense that he hadn't seemed her out, but still she knew he watched her. Chiharu wondered if that was a possessive streak, prowling after someone he considered— pack. The word tasted ludicrous even in her thoughts and she felt her fingers tighten around one of the tatami mats and flushed when it creaked and snapped under the light pressure of her hands.

Carefully, she dropped at her side and closed her eyes and allowed her aura to flare briefly. His reacted accordingly, brushing back unconsciously and she grinned at her little trick. She had been trying so hard lately and she felt she was progressing rapidly. Even the hand-to-hand combat was coming along neatly and she handled herself quite decently. She wasn't a super fighter like Sesshōmaru, and she doubted she would ever truly be in his range, but she was also not the naive little school girl her sister often displayed, relying solely on her friends to cover her sides. Of course, she wasn't exactly human either, which did actually make that much of a difference.

Brushing her thumb along the smooth grain of the wooden bowl she sucked her cheek between her teeth. It would probably wise to face the man. At some point, she would have and even though she might feel a bit odd about it, Sesshōmaru joining their group would be a good thing. Slowly she got to her feet, her slumbering reiki prickling as the blood flow resumed in her left foot and she rolled her shoulders. The wooden planks below her made almost no sound.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Chiharu grimaced, curling her fingers tightly together: "Outside, gathering herbs."

"Hell no, you don't get to use that excuse on me." He snapped and she threw him an amused smile.

"I could call for Kagome-onee-chan if you want?"

"Bitch," he muttered and she stuck out her tongue. He looked quite tired and she tried to smile reassuringly.

"Really, it's fine. I'm going to take a walk,"

"Seeing to Sesshōmaru, you mean?" He asked irritatedly and she nodded slowly.

"Yes," she admitted, "unless you want to come along?"

"No, I definitely don't want to come along. He wasn't exactly overexcited the last time he saw me like this…"

"He has seen you like this?" She asked slowly, letting her eyes wander over his human form.

He sniffed: "Hm. Yes, he has. But that was a long time ago."

Chiharu nodded slowly and brushed her hair over her shoulder: "See you later."

The air was crisp, the wind allowing a breeze to prickle against her cheeks and the tree-tops fluttered when she stepped out over the forest edge. Behind her, the new moon hung low in the air and starlight shone dimly down over a distant prospect of great green hills. On the slopes at the foot of the hills, small lights shone like lands stars and she smiled wistfully. Not far away a small creak cackled softly, the water seeming silver-black in the dim night light. She stared at the rippling water surface before stopping close to the trunk of the nearest tree, sniffing the air carefully.

He had cloaked his scent, he was better at it, but she knew—

"I know you there, you know?"

The hairs on her neck stood on end when she felt him, the whisper of his uncloaked youki trailed over her like a cold finger running down her spine. He didn't bother to announce himself and slowly ran her finger through her hair.

"Escaping from your comrades, Miko?"

"Hardly,"

She watched his nostrils flare and raised an expectant eyebrow.

"Your scent—"

She grinned excitedly, perking up instantly: "I managed to cloak my scent."

"Partly."

"Yes," she admitted, choosing to ignore his sarcastic statement. He did seem somewhat proud anyway and leant against the bark of a tree. The stars above her were flickering brightly and flickered like a thousand lampions. "They're quite beautiful."

"Hn."

She blew a lock of hair out of her face: "We're avoiding the subject though. I know you've been watching me from afar. I do wonder though, but I suppose I can't force you to tell me. Anyway, did you consider travelling with us?"

His jawline became rigid, his golden eyes narrowing: "Hn."

"I— Honestly, I never know for sure what that means."

He did not elaborate and she remained leaning against the tree trunk, alternating between watching the night sky and the Daiyōkai. It was odd how much had changed in the span of little over 1,5 years. When she'd first arrived here, she wouldn't have liked to be around him even if someone paid her for it, but now— So much had changed.

"How is Rin?"

"Adequate,"

She barely refrained from rolling her eyes and sniffed the air delicately. It had been oddly peaceful the past few days and she slightly worried it wouldn't last. The white child Hakudoshi would quite probably be planning their demise as they spoke and—

Sesshōmaru had crossed the little space that had been between them. Her eyes met his and he slowly moved his hand up, trailing claws along the column of her throat, pads dancing over the puckered flesh of his mark. The pads of his fingers trailed down again, moving along the base of her throat and settled just below her right collarbone.

Chiharu felt her cheeks redden but didn't move away.

"What are you doing?"

"This Sesshōmaru will meet your party here tomorrow at dawn." He whispered softly and due to his closeness, she could practically count the many silvery lashes that framed his eerie, golden eyes.

"I—"

"Perhaps, Miko you should return to your companions." He stated before giving her a small push. She stumbled slightly, hands waving around to find some support until her fingers clawed into the rough bark of a tree.

"But—"

"Tomorrow at dawn, Miko."

She flushed in frustration as a cloud of Youki gathered beneath his booted feet and he began to rise. She stared after him until Sesshōmaru was only a small dot in the sky and she only realised small beads of blood dribbling down her collarbone and staining the collar of her haori crimson.

 _To be continued…_

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 **A/N: Yes, I'm shocked too! It's another chapter and it has some progress (although, like always it's gentle and it is slow). Anyway, apart from the massive writer's block that hit me, I've been super busy with school. Even when I think slow, easy times were coming, I was wrong. I do, however, will have more time to write, but I cannot promise I'll immediately return to the weekly schedule I used to have. I will however, try my hardest to go back to update regularly.**

 **Please review and let me know what you all think. Happy with Sesshōmaru actually joining the group? I know I am.**

 **Inuyasha does not belong to me, but to Rumiko Takahashi.**


	44. Chapter 43, Travels

**A/N: Enjoy the new chapter and like always let me know what you think!**

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 **o.O.o**

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 _ **Chapter Forty-Three, Travels**_

" **Y** ou're sure the arsehole will come, won't you?" Inuyasha demanded irritatedly the next morning, hands tucked deeply into his sleeves. His silvery-white hair was once again messily framing his face and his fluffy ears twitched. The sun was creeping further up the horizon with every minute and Chiharu sighed, rubbing her hands together.

"Yes, he will come. He said he would."

"Sesshōmaru says a lot. Doesn't mean shit." Inuyasha gruffly responded and kicked at a stone and she blew a lock of dark hair out of her face. The first snow had fallen and made the world look so pure and innocent. So in contrast to how Sengoku jidai normally was.

"He—" Chiharu started, left arm propped up on the handle of her sword when suddenly she felt his aura fan out over her. "He's coming."

Mirōku and Sango both stiffened slightly and she heard Kagome gasp nervously. He looked as elegant as ever, golden eyes unreadable and the sun glinted off of his pale face. Beside him Jaken the Kappa, wooden staff swirling in his small hands, and his great dragon strutting out of the forest edge after him. His young human ward Ran was perched on its back and looked as bubbly and happy as ever.

Sesshōmaru's gaze cut through the air and met hers and she awkwardly curled her fingers into the material of her haori. Rin squealed in delight when she noticed her a moment later and Chiharu averted her eyes as the eight-year-old threw herself off her dragon and raced across the clearing, throwing herself at Chiharu with a cry.

"Chiharu-Sama!"

"Hello, Rin-chan. How have you been fairing?"

"R— I have been good, Chiharu-Sama."

"I'm so glad." Chiharu smiled and she the small child pulled up, until she was held against her hip. "Has Jaken been nice to you?"

"Master Jaken has attempted to teach Rin— to teach me to speak the right way."

"An insufferable if not impossible job—" Jaken whispered irritatedly and Chiharu glared at him.

"You are an insufferable if not impossible idiot." She snapped back and Kagome stared at her with furrowed eyebrows.

"Miko,"

She smiled up at him even if Inuyasha grumbled about the unfairness of it all and ran her fingers through her hair. He stoically met her eyes, youki washing over her in what she assumed was familiarity.

"Just know you ain't the boss of me, arsehole!" Inuyasha snapped and she sighed.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome snapped but Sesshōmaru ignored him flicked a lock of silver hair over his shoulder. Jaken however, did. He flailed his staff at Inuyasha and threw a string of impressive insults at his face. The scuffle that followed and quickly won by Inuyasha was not surprising. The punch to his face Sesshomaru delivered, however, was a bit sudden but put an end to Inuyasha's and Jaken's scuffle. It did, however, revive another round of petty sibling insults and Chiharu nervously ran her fingers through Rin's hair.

"Guys!" She hissed, blocking Inuyasha's next blow, and yanking him out of Sesshōmaru's way. Blocking Inuyasha was relatively easy, but blocking Sesshōmaru who knew how she fought and more importantly who was faster and stronger than her or Inuyasha, was another story. "Let's not do this now. We need each other."

"That arsehole—"

"Shut up, Inuyasha!" She snapped and held up placating hands to try to mediate the situation. "I— I know this might be difficult at first, but—"

—but, fuck what was she supposed to say?

Kagome cleared her throat delicately: "None of us pretends they know your history," she started slowly, carefully, hoping she wouldn't insult Inuyasha but mostly Sesshōmaru. "This, however, is only going to work if we manage to work together. That means, Inuyasha, no insults. And Sesshōmaru," — 'Sama' Chiharu mouthed and Kagome's face turned a deep pink before she squeaked — "Sama, I would be really grateful if you could share your plan with us."

"Yes," Chiharu agreed and amber eyes regarded her with a slight interest, "You've been tracking Naraku for just as long— He's been after you for different reasons, but for important reasons just the same."

In reality, Chiharu had no idea why Naraku was after Sesshōmaru, but at least he didn't react angrily at their obvious attempt at peace-making. Without another word, he turned on his heel and moved North, towards the mountains. Chiharu supposed it was the direction Sesshōmaru thought Naraku was at, holding something that looked like a stone. Inuyasha grumbled under his breath that sounded a lot like 'fuck my life' but in the end just threw his hands in the air and stomped after his older brother with a grimace. The rest of the group followed after him without a word. They reached the base of the mountain lands late that afternoon and started the trek upwards until twilight turned into darkness. The breeze was chilly and the pace Sesshōmaru had set was hard (or so she was to believe from Mirōku's mutterings and Kagome's complaints about her feet). With her strengthened endurance little faced her anymore. Rin seemed unfazed as well, trudging along happily and she smiled as the girl grinned and caught one of Shippō's magical toys. They got on like a house of fire.

I-I. ⌡. Γ┐

After a few days of travelling together, life started to regain some sort of routine and shape. Chiharu's friends and sister seemed to have grown accustomed to Sesshōmaru's presence and even Inuyasha managed to keep the insults to a minimum, although one evening he did follow after Sesshōmaru. They'd stayed away that evening several hours and Chiharu had never been more afraid for Inuyasha's safety than that evening, but he returned relatively unharmed (his face did look a bit purple). At least, whatever it was they'd _discussed_ it hadn't ended it bloodshed and murder.

The group rose at dawn (under Jaken's loud wailing for them to get moving) and made camp late the afternoon when twilight fell. It was almost a week later when the first signs of trouble presented itself. Or that was what Chiharu had first assumed was the first sign of trouble. It had been Kagome's turn to take care of breakfast that morning and after a horrible bowl of what looked like oatmeal (it made even Inuyasha gag and he ate everything), they had an easy morning. An accident (Chiharu doubted it had been an accident) had left Mirōku in a bit of a bad shape.

Ah-and-Un was roped to a log, standing placidly while Sesshōmaru was out on official Daiyōkai business. Chiharu was seated near the bend of a small creek where they'd made camp and Mirōku, his injured arm tucked in his lap, staring at his reflection, his eyes occasionally but fearfully wandering to Sangō.

"You tried to grope Sangō again, didn't you?" She asked slowly when he felt her eyes on him and Mirōku smiled his I-can't-help-it-I'm-cursed-smile and Chiharu sighed aggravated. "You, Mirōku-kun are an idiot."

"That's what Sango-sama said too," Mirōku replied wistfully too and Chiharu pushed herself up her feet.

"You really are a massive idiot." She muttered carefully glancing at Sango who sat in the other side of the clearing, sharpening her boomerang-bone. Shippō and Rin were sprawled out next to her, a large range of colourful crayons littering the forest floor next to them, while Jaken watched them glumly, perched upon a massive rock.

"Well," she tried gently, "I'll go pick some herbs. Try not to kill him, Sango-chan."

Looking up from her work, Sangō wrinkled her nose slightly: "I make no promises. See if you can find Kagome-chan? She's been gone for ages."

"Perhaps she and Inuyasha—" Mirōku started lecherously and she kicked a stone at his face, grinning in satisfaction when it made a warm clinking-noise on impact.

"See you later, Mirōku." She replied lightly and tucked her thumb behind her obi, leaning her elbow on the handle of her katana. The branches of the trees ruffled in the slight breeze and she slid off down the hill, straying off the path, hoping to find spices and herbs they could use. With the cold weather, Chiharu was sure colds would follow quickly and having some ginger roots, garlic, onion and thyme would be wonderful even though not everything grew at this time of year. Chiharu came to greatly enjoy taking a morning stroll through the cool mist. With practised ease, her fingers trailing through the damp leaves of the under-bushes, plucking several and dropping them into her basket.

She'd worked contently through the morning, happy with the pace she was digging out ginger roots. It had begun to rain lightly, pattering down on the fallen leaves. Chiharu had just found scarlet caps, growing in tiny clumps beneath the thick roots of an oak tree, when the footsteps of her sister were rapidly approaching. Kagome stumbled over the roots of a tree, flushed from what looked like quite the exertion and fell flat on her face, sending arrows flailing over the forest floor. Also, her eyes were reddish and puffed which made it look like she'd cried recently — really recently and the scent of soil gave her a good indicator of what had happened.

"Nee-san?" She greeted slowly, squatting lowly and settling the basket at her feet. "Are you all right?"

Kagome lifted her red-face up to Chiharu and opened and closed her mouth several times: "I—"

"Is this about Kikyō?"

Cheeks still unusually flushed she shook her head, stammering as she spoke: "No— Yes, at first, but— You weren't lying!"

"You make zero sense, Onee-san."

"He really does really meditate every morning!" She shrieked.

"You mean Sesshōmaru?"

"Yes," she shrieked, face growing so red it matched Chiharu's hakama, "And he was really wearing— only his Hakama!"

"Ah, and that's why you're upset?"

"Yes!" She shrieked again and Chiharu winched.

"Well," she tried gently, "he does have nice abs."

With a face that bordered on purple, Kagome nodded, a subtle tension still lingering in her stiff frame: "Well, yes—"

"Did you stare?" Chiharu teased lightly, going for an easy grin. "I stared the first few mornings."

"Y-yes," she admitted, "he caught me."

"Really? You've had to vie really unsubtle for him to catch someone staring. Normally he doesn't' notice things like that— Well, because he doesn't care."

"He did, okay. Even asked me if I saw something I liked." Kagome snapped back.

"He did?" She asked and bails of laughter escaped her throat.

The whack she received from her elder sister had been expected yet, it did not deter her laughing. Kagome whacked her another time, using her math notebook (so she had been trying to do her homework) and Chiharu kicked her feet out from under her. She fell back with a yelp and grumbled from deep in her throat, looking as petulant as she'd had many times before when they'd fought.

"You okay?"

"Yeah," Kagome whispered, "I saw Kikyō too."

"I figured."

Tension melted from her features and she sat back, crossing her legs in front of her. Drawing her quiver close she started to collect her arrows. "I hate him!"

"You sat him, didn't you?"

"Yes,"

The rain was coming on a little stronger and Chiharu got to her feet, basket tucked beneath one arm and helped Kagome up with the other. "Say, was he half-naked when you left him?"

"Yes, why?"

"I do enjoy his abs."

"You are horrible," Kagome whispered, turning red again and Chiharu laughed loudly again.

"Honestly, I wish I could have seen your face—"

"Probably the exact same expression you wore when you stumbled in on me bathing, Miko." Sesshōmaru's voice rumbled coldly and although Chiharu felt her face flush, she sniggered embarrassedly anyway.

Kagome turned even redder (and Chiharu was rather surprised she could turn that colour) and bolted. Chiharu watched her form disappear and she exhaled out noisily. "I sometimes think you live to annoy me."

As much as she liked to tease her sister about it, Chiharu was secretly glad he was fully dressed. Hair damp from the rain, sticking to his form he was dressed in hakama and kosode. She could only imagine his haori, thrown across the branch of oak or sprawled out on a large rock like he usually did. Chiharu cocked her head to the side. It was hard to believe he enjoyed irritating her sister, or if he'd just been annoyed, and she leant against the rough bark of a tree.

"Your sister is—"

"Prudish?" Chiharu asked rhetorically.

"And are you?" He took a step closer to her and she felt her cheeks heat up slightly.

"Not necessarily."

"You know Miko, I have been wondering." He whispered before he ducked his head and his mouth slanted over hers, cutting short any reply she might have given. He explored her mouth with a bold sort of familiarity and her face grew hot.

She pushed herself up on her tiptoes to compensate for the difference in height and he tangled one hand into her hair and crushed her to him with the other. His grip on her was bruising and as the absurdity of the situation hit her, he pushed her none-to-gently up against the large oak tree she'd been digging beneath for roots. She wondered what had brought this on, yet as his mouth clamped down onto her neck, she forgot her cataloguing mind and moaned. His lips were evoking a rather pleasant sensation running down her spine. A very difficult sensation had settled below her bellybutton and she didn't even fight when he pushed her haori of her shoulder, nibbling his way down to where her neck smoothly turned into her shoulder.

She was quite certain he was sucking a hickey on her neck, which would be healed before the hour was gone and she sighed, rather contently, as he pressed his hips against hers. She wasn't even sure what had happened to his haori, but suddenly her fingers were running over his chest, curving a path across his ribcage, tracing purple markings curl around his hipbones. He shuddered, pressing her into the tree harder and—

His heat was suddenly gone, off of her and she squeaked when she slipped and fell into the little spring, dunking her head under the freezing water. When she got up for air and swatted her long dark hair out of her face, he was crouched down in front of her, long hair tousling in the breeze.

Breathing in sharply she ignored the urge to splash water in his direction and pulled herself up on the shore: "What did you that for? You kiss me and then—"

"You kissed me back," he told her coldly and pressed his index finger beneath her chin, his breath fanning out over her cheek. "Tell me, Miko, do you love me?"

Her face paled slightly, eyes widening: "What?"

"Do you love me? That human notion— Love. Is that what you feel for me?"

"I— I'm not sure what you mean."

He yanked her chin closer, their noses bumping: "I think you do."

And still flustered from their previous activity, Chiharu could only stare.

 _To be continued…_

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 **A/N: And that was chapter forty-three. The next chapter will actually be on time for once, but I have been quite busy with rereading my story, correcting typo's and grammatical errors but most of all, going over my original plan with this story and I realised we were reaching the end much faster than I'd expected. Either way, let me know what you all think, because ladies and gentleman, we're reaching the end.**

 **Inuyasha does not belong to me but to Rumiko Takahashi**


	45. Chapter 44, Knotted Feelings

**A/N: Enjoy the new chapter and like always let me know what you think!**

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 **o.O.o**

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 _ **Chapter Forty-Four, Knotted Feelings**_

 **H** is shadowed gaze lingered on Chiharu Higurashi as she helped the monk set up a strange sort of veil above their sleeping arrangements. Sooty lashes twitched ever so slightly over her cheeks when the monk's hand twitched towards her bottom and he felt his fingers itch in irritation. She reacted quick, catching his wrist and pushing him away, before tying part of the veil around a stick. The construction reminded her strangely of a remote human hut. The humans had grown tired of their long track and they'd collectively decided to set up camp (Sesshōmaru had grown tired of their whining).

The last rays of the sun crept down the horizon, twilight quickly gaining power and Sesshōmaru stood tall. His three swords jutted from the crimson obi at his waist, the wicked points of his shoulder guards catching the red light of the sinking sun and he averted his eyes from his Miko.

"She likes you, yeh know?"

For one muddled instant, Sesshōmaru stiffened. He hadn't even noticed his brother coming near and he clenched his jaw. "Little brother."

"She shouldn't of course." Inuyasha continued, stepping next to Sesshōmaru and he haughtily glared down at the younger male. The Hanyō would probably never reach Sesshōmaru's height.

"Is that jealousy speaking, Inuyasha?" He asked the light taunt sweeping up into the air, but his brother, much to his credit, didn't rise to the bait. It was somewhat unexpected. From his peripheral vision, he watched the barely-dressed-Miko start a fire, while Rin and the Fox kit settled around it, taking turns in throwing some sort of fireworks into the hot orange depths.

"You don't like humans," Inuyasha said, staring at Chiharu Higurashi himself now. "Yet—"

"She was a tool." He shrugged unapologetically and Inuyasha's face flushed. Yet again, he didn't rise to the bait.

"I think we should have this conversation somewhere else. Somewhere we're not interrupted." He whispered hoarsely. The way hurt shone through his eyes reminded Sesshōmaru truly of the boy's mother. So expressive. He hated the woman with all his heart, but, he hated his father more. It wasn't the human woman who had been truly at fault. His father should have known better.

He looked at his Miko again, her dark hair cascading down her back and the sunlight glinting off, giving it a reddish hue. She truly was beautiful and as much as she broke the mould where humans and human nature was considered, she—

"Oi arsehole!"

The Miko and her barely-dressed sister both stared at Sesshōmaru and his Hanyō brother with identical expressions of shock and curiosity. Perhaps taking this conversation somewhere more privet. The irritating child could certainly benefit from a few well-aimed punches to his face and he turned briskly away. His footsteps were soundless, while Inuyasha's feet beat loudly against the frozen ground. They moved in silence until Sesshōmaru was sure his little Miko would no longer be able to eavesdrop on their conversation. The forest floor stretched down in a sloping manner thinning out into a greenish creek. There were no animals to scamper across the shore and Sesshōmaru inhaled slowly. The water was heavily contaminated with Naraku's evil.

Inuyasha seemed to be thinking too hard to realise so and he turned towards him with a slight quirk of his eyebrow.

"Fine, Half-breed, why is this discussion of such importance?"

The hanyō's hackles rose predictably but unpredictably he managed to gain control over his temper. "Chiharu is my—"

"Love interest?" Sesshōmaru finished dryly and couldn't help the quirk of his lips. So that was what this was. He was jealous. He truly had chosen the right girl. Pity for Inuyasha that the Miko did not seem too interested in his brother. Or at least as far as Sesshōmaru was considered the girl seemed more interested in keeping her sister happy and being Inuyasha's friend — his friend really — than pursuing a kinship that would never work anyway. If she would want a yōkai mate she would need someone strong enough to equal the mark she wore or Sesshōmaru himself would have to find a true mate. The latter wasn't going to happen in another few decades as he was still too young to start for a successor. Moreover, mating was for life and he certainly didn't think he'd wanted to be bound to some annoying bint—

"—Think that I fancy her as a love interest? Even Kikyō—" Inuyasha was saying, face tinging pink. Sesshōmaru sat down, legs crossed and face unreadable.

"Inuyasha, I do not care for your romantical love life. My business is my own and no matter what I plan to do with that girl— It would be in my right."

"It's not in your right, you idiot. You've condemned her to a fate even worse than mine. At least I cannot help being born the way I am, but what do you think will happen to her? She'll live too long to match any human husband and will always have too much of a human side for any yōkai to give her a chance. The least you could do is release her of your stupid bond."

"You little mongrel, do you even understand how you release someone of a bond? Especially one that has been retaliated by both parties?"

"Then why the fuck did you consummate it?"

Sesshōmaru was momentarily stunned and turned to the younger man, staring at his face. He was young but not that young. Even Inuyasha, who Sesshōmaru often thought to be stupid, should know the meaning of sexual intercourse or— "You do understand what consummating means, right?"

"Yes," Inuyasha huffed, "Of course, I know what it means. Myōga said that's what happened for the mark to be balanced out and—"

"Inuyasha, intercourse means sex." He deadpanned and the Hanyō turned a furious sort of red.

"—What? Oh…"

"I find it difficult to believe you have no knowledge of— No, this Sesshōmaru doesn't find it that difficult to believe at all. Of course, you wouldn't understand— The mark, you fool, has never been completed. That can only be done due to intercourse. To put it in words you actually understand; sex."

Sesshōmaru wondered if it was the dead-panned tone he used while discussing intercourse with his younger brother or if it was the subject itself, but Inuyasha's face had tinted almost scarlet, bordering on purple. "Do you understand now, little brother?"

"—I— Shut up, Arsehole. That was not the point. I asked you, didn't I?" Inuyasha spluttered indignantly and Sesshōmaru smirked. He'd no idea how many mind games he could play with the little fool nor how absolutely invigorating it was.

"What was it again, you asked, Little Brother?"

"Do you love her?" He grounded out.

"Love, Little brother, is only a human notion." He told the younger man, claws trailing along with the handle of Tenseiga. "I do not feel it."

Inuyasha opened his mouth, his hands opening and closing uselessly at his sides until his eyes widened: "Oh. You've never known love."

Well, that certainly was not the point he wanted Inuyasha to take out of his comments and he sat stonily as the Hanyō stalked up to him dropping down before him.

"That explains so much."

"You misunderstand. As you so often do."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever, arsehole," Inuyasha muttered, but the normally biting tone was off, silver eyebrows furrowed deeply.

The conversation shouldn't have bothered him, but frankly, it did. The Miko girl shouldn't love him. He hardly needed her to moan over him. Especially not, with his mother butting into his business. Inuyasha seemed satisfied that whatever he'd wanted to say had come across and turned on his heel. Twilight was falling and in the distance a storm was brewing. Sesshōmaru remained away from the camp for the rest of the night and when he returned, he kept a close eye on his Miko. She was six and ten, for a yōkai hardly the age to start looking for a prospective bride, but for a human—

A human turned yōkai. Or a Hanyō.

She was not one, yet she was.

Sesshōmaru had hated her when she'd been a human. On principle really, and mostly because apart from being pretty, she was also reasonably smart. She'd piqued his interest even before he'd known she was a— friend to Inuyasha. He'd hated her because for a second he could understand what his father must have been thinking.

Yet, the more he'd learned to know her, the more he'd grown to enjoy her.

She wasn't resentful. Keeping a grudge didn't come naturally to her and it was a refreshing experience. However, enjoying her company, feeling an attraction to her mortal flesh, did not mean he would mate her. She'd never demanded that of him either, but— she did gaze at him with the kind of longing born from what he could only assume was want and love. He'd never noticed it before.

Days passed, yet, the chance to talk to her didn't present itself. Perhaps there was no need for either. If they finally tracked down Naraku all of this could be over. Sesshōmaru had risen with first light, deciding he'd exercise his breathing, sitting cross-legged in a clearing only a few miles away from the campsite. Far away enough their noisy wanderings went a bit unnoticed, yet close enough he could come to their aid when truly necessary. He'd chosen a spot admits the naked oaks and Aleppo pines, the scent of damp mud and early spring heavy in the air.

He'd been almost feeling calm, his breathing even and he hadn't even cared when the drizzle had started; dampening his hair. In the distance, he noticed Barely-dressed-Kagome approaching, but he didn't pay her any mind until she stumbled into his circle of relaxation. Her gasp was loud and disturbed him enough to forget his even breathing. His eyes snapped open seeking out hers and watched in slight amusing as she turned a shade of scarlet that took over all of her face. Her eyes were tracing over his bare chest and he waited exactly three seconds before responding.

"See anything you like, girl?"

She yelped, stumbling away again, almost falling over her own feet he listened to her retreating footsteps. He waited a few minutes before getting to his feet, following the girl's scent. Soon it became mingled with his Miko's scent and for once she was alone. The drizzle had changed into a steady rhythm and he heard their voices. The younger sister was gently goading the older and he intervened quickly, sending the older one scrambling for the safety of their campsite.

Chiharu Higurashi sat up slowly, her basket almost toppling over and filled to the brim with herbs, roots and grasses. Her bi-coloured eyes met his unflinchingly: "I sometimes think you live to annoy me."

He cocked his head. Perhaps he did. It didn't matter. He had questions.

"You know, Miko, I have been wondering." He whispered, closing in on her as she got to her feet. He ducked his head and his mouth slanted over hers, cutting short any reply she might have given. He'd done this before, but this time he made sure to assess her earnestly. It's a deep, open-mouthed kiss, fangs grazing over her lower lip and she made a sort of sound that made his nerves ease slightly. He pushed her harshly against a tree, her breath escaping her in a gasp and dug his fingers around her waist. Her body is deliciously warm and pliant under his hands and he wrenched his mouth away from hers and swept her damp hair from her shoulder and slants his mouth over the mark he'd made almost two years ago. She moaned at that and her fingers pushed his haori of his shoulders unsubtly.

His mind cleared at that, at one hand fisting her haori and kosode off her shoulder, his fangs scraping over her collarbone and he moved away so fast, Chiharu slipped on the wet shoreline and fell in with a splash. Her breathing his harsh and her coughs bring up creak-water, she barely managed to push herself up on the shore, knees staining green.

"What did you that for? You kiss me and then—" she started and he crouched down in front of him again, his muscles flexing.

"You kissed me back," he told her coldly and pressed his index finger beneath her chin, his breath fanning out over her cheek. "Tell me, Miko, do you love me?"

Her face blanched and her eyes widened comically: "What?"

"Do you love me? That human notion— Love. Is that what you feel for me?"

And still flustered from their previous activity, his Miko blankly stared at him, as if she was not understanding the question.

"What?"

He yanked her chin closer, their noses bumping, her wet hair slapping noisily against her shoulders from the sudden movement: "I think you do."

"I'm sure I don't—" she started and then her eyes harden with resolve.

Before Sesshōmaru could reply, she surged forward, pressing her mouth swiftly to his. It was clumsily, her fingers yanking at his hair as he tried to angle her face just right and he sighed in her mouth. This— this was a problem. As sudden as her bravado had come as sudden as it left and she stumbled up and away from him, but her answer had been clear all the same.

"I—" she muttered.

"You are human," he stated and she frowned, a furrow appearing between her eyebrows and he felt the strange urge to press the pad of his thumb against the imperfection.

"I _was_ human," she whispered, head cocking to the side. "I was, but you've seen to that almost two years ago."

"It doesn't matter." He responded coldly. "This cannot happen again."

He couldn't trust her to not take this further. He couldn't have a weakness that liked to get into trouble as this one human did. Ex-human turned Hanyō. Even without the noticeable shifts in her aura, that was what she was and he turned his back on her. A human could never be enough for him.

 _To be continued…_

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 **A/N: I feel a little bit mean, but this man is so stubborn. He needs one more push… And he's getting one soon;). But at least, Inuyasha is a good friend. As for him not knowing what consummating means, I think that's something that would be just like Inuyasha!**

 **I'm sorry for not updating regularly in some time. I'm in the final stages of my thesis (AND I BLOODY HATE IT) and things are not going great. However, I try but expect swifter updates once I can finally turn it in. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Let me know what you'll think.**

 **Inuyasha does not belong to me but to Rumiko Takahashi**


	46. Chapter 45, A Perfectible Death

**A/N: And here we go; chapter 45! Enjoy^^**

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 **o.O.o**

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 **Chapter Forty-Five, A Perfectible Death**

 **C** hiharu slept uneasily that night, tossing and turning, rolling over on her stomach and her back so often her hair was closely resembling a bird's nest when she sat up and breathed out irritatedly. Apart from her uneasy breathing, the only sound audible was of her campmates' snores and the occasional grunt. Even Inuyasha, who had always been determined to stay awake and keep watch, lay slumped down against a tree, fast asleep. The embers of the campfire were smouldering and crackling, the orange light fading in the deep twilight of the night. The half-moon stood high in the sky, filtering a soft silvery glow out over the landscape. The group of shard hunters had set up camp in a dense part of the forest, only a few miles away from the Eastern mountains. Sesshōmaru thought it was in the Eastern territory the human-turned-yōkai had hidden. Inuyasha seemed to agree, although Chiharu wasn't sure if that had more to do with not knowing where else to look than any belief in Sesshōmaru's tracking.

Exhaling, she rolled on her side and settled her arm below her head.

In the distance, Chiharu heard the sound of what must have been soldiers crossing the land, fighting for whatever Daimyō was ruling these parts of Japan and she amused herself with listening to their silly war cries. It probably was a horrible thing to do, listening in to people who might die for their country and their believe, but after seeing so much war sites, pain and death she had started to become slightly immune to them.

She would have done almost anything to distract herself from Sesshōmaru but ever so often her eyes would flit back to the Daiyōkai's still from. Light of the moon had painted the world in a silvery glow, casting a reflective sheen over his hair and glimmering off his breastplate. She'd always thought the dark, harsh metal of his spiked, plated-armour along with his horrible One sword hardened his otherwise almost ethereal image. Looking at his relaxed face (even though she knew he wasn't sleeping) she felt a stab of fury make its way through her.

"You are just a human," he'd stated at her and she snorted. 'Human'; she hadn't been human since the moment he marked her almost two years ago. Cautiously, she peered at his face. Sesshōmaru's eyes were closed even though at every sound his ears would twitch. She dragged her gaze over his form and pursed her lips. She hadn't even been aware that she'd entertained the idea of her and him together and something squeezed her heart tightly.

She hadn't even considered naming what she felt for him as love, but now—

Perhaps she did. But more importantly, she would have to stop. Of course, it wasn't so easy. Her face flushed when she suddenly remembered what Inuyasha had said. 'I sometimes wish that I met you first.'

Inuyasha was her friend. Possibly, her best friend and she loved him dearly.

Perhaps, she would have felt differently if she'd met him first as well and groaning softly, she ran her hands through her hair. Rubbing her fingers against her temples, she slowly extracted herself from her sleeping bag, kicking it away (although she did take extra care to not disturb her friends) and tiptoed to the edge of the clearing. Picking up her bow, quiver and katana she moved away from the campsite, feet light on the frozen forest floor. She went through the motions of concealing her aura, Reiki and tried (and hopefully managed) to cloak her scent.

The work-out felt heavenly. Every time she lodged an arrow in a branch she aimed for, she felt a stab of satisfaction and fantasised it was Sesshōmaru's head instead of a piece of wood. Not once did she enchant an arrow, not willing to start making new ones so soon when she grew bored with her archery, she started to go through the motions of sword art, twirling around and slashing the air as if fighting an invisible enemy. The wonders about an invisible enemy were that in her imagination, she would fight the strongest allies and always won. It was enjoyable for a good few hours, until a streak of light started in the east, stretching shadows appearing and twilight moving away.

Breathing out loudly, she returned to their campsite, the grip on the strap of her quiver tightened fractionally. There was a slight sheen of perspiration on the back of her neck, dampening her hair and sticking it tightly to the skin. It made Sesshōmaru's cold, searching gaze even harder to ignore, but she met his shadowed gaze unflinchingly.

"You're staring, Miko."

"Is there a law saying I can't do that?" She whispered back, knowing in full he'd heard her perfectly. "I—"

He regarded her coolly and she swallowed.

"I don't understand." She finally decided on. "Why did you lie to me?"

"I did never lie to you," Sesshōmaru returned chillingly, drawing himself up to a standing position and she snorted.

"You can lie with actions just as well as you can lie with words, Sesshōmaru." She retorted irritatedly. "Your actions bely your words."

"Sometimes I fail to remember that you are too young to understand the difference between emotional attachment or pleasure." He returned coolly and traced her cheek with the rough pad of his thumb. Cheeks that must have blazed with embarrassment and she took a step back.

"Whatever, Sesshōmaru." She muttered, ignoring the liquid fury that ran through her veins and turned her back to him. She couldn't take out her anger on him. She wouldn't be able to win nor would it damage the shaky truce they'd established.

She felt his amber eyes following her as she moved across the clearing and Chiharu's hand self-consciously went to the necklace with the jewel shards around her neck. They glimmered dimly, partly muted by Naraku's influence and sat down with her back to him, running her fingers slowly through Shippō's sandy hair. He'd snuggled into her sleeping bag, his cheeks dusted a soft pink and his mouth slightly agape. Both him and Rin looked so innocent and small when asleep. She remained with her back turned towards the Daiyōkai the rest of the early morning until the others were roused by the twittering of the birds. Bright daylight, rays of dawn, crept over the horizon and Inuyasha jumped from his perch at the foot of the high tree.

"We have to go!" He snapped, ignoring Sesshōmaru's cold glare even though his ears fluttered against his skull. "We need to be ready when Naraku tries something again."

"If that is what you're waiting for then we only have to _wait_." Chiharu dryly commented. "After all, he wants the Shikon shards we carry. He's bound to come looking for us eventually."

"Unwise," Sesshōmaru stoically replied and Chiharu glared at him irritably, "if he comes to us on his terms, he'll be prepared. Playing on your weaknesses."

"Fine," Chiharu retorted sweetly, "then we'll keep on going into circles."

"What is up with them?" She heard Shippo whisper nervously to Run who shook her head with wide eyes. Inuyasha was looking between them as if he was following a difficult tennis match and Chiharu averted her eyes.

They continued along the narrow path in silence, her fingers of her left hand tightly wrapped around her upper-arm and the other hand wrapped around her bow. The forest had become denser and the air was still chilly and the days were still cold, but around them, the forest was slowly divesting its winter adornments. Here and there, daffodils and snowdrops bravely poked their flowery heads up through the hard solid air. It was a windy morning and the branches shivered in the breeze, tousled their hair and ruffled along with their clothes.

Chiharu studied the silent Daiyōkai striding ahead of her, hoping to find something— some explanation of why he always treated her like this. Like she was his property one moment and like a discarded toy the next. Sesshōmaru was tall and struck an imposing figure. He looked almost ethereal, although the two swords jutting out from his obi and the wicked points of his shoulder guards belied that etherealness slightly. The cold winter sunlight was reflected harshly of his breastplate, flitted through his hair and made the silver colour stand out strangely. He was so very handsome…

 _Pity he's such a jerk…_

Inhaling deeply, she tried to find the trace Sesshōmaru's more superior nose must have found, but could not even detect the faintest trace of Naraku. They were rising up deeper into the mountains and the higher they ventured, the colder it became. Ahead a snowy landscape neared and she slowed her step until she drew level with Sango.

"Hi, Chiharu-chan," Sango grinned happy, rubbing her finger along Kirara's chin. The neko-yōkai purred contently. "Are you all right?"

Chiharu smiled: "Yes,"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," she echoed again, "Or I will be. It's nothing major."

"You and Kagome-chan both can act so weird," Sango stated thoughtfully and Chiharu smiled sheepishly.

"That's time travel for you."

"Will you return?" Sango asked. "When Naraku is defeated and the Shikon-no-tama is completed, will you return to your home?"

Chiharu felt her smile harden: "Once, I considered staying here." She admitted, eyes flitting to Sesshōmaru's form unconsciously before she cocked her head to Sango. "Now, I think It would be better to return home. Watch my brother grow old, argue with my grandfather— Take care of my mum…"

"I understand," Sango reassured. "Family is the most important thing there is."

"It is, isn't it?"

Chiharu suddenly felt her muscles stiffen, jerking from her wandering thoughts when an all too familiar feeling settled into her stomach. Two Sacred Jewel shards were nearing, quickly.

"Chiharu-chan?" Sango asked noticing when I froze mid-step and shifted her Boomerangbone awkwardly. "Something wrong?"

"Shikon shard, and it's coming fast."

Sangō's eyes widened comically and she quickly straightened, one hand resting on the hilt of her katana. Kirara jumped from her shoulder and transformed in a rush of flame, eyes feral and fangs glinting in the sun light. Inuyasha and Sesshōmaru followed through and when Kagome gasped harshly Mirōku took on a defensive stance as well. The leaves of nearby trees and bushes rustled and after inhaling deeply, Chiharu recognised the scent. A dust-cloud swirled up above the boulders surrounding them and with a strong inhale of breath Kōga appeared, coming to an abrupt stop before Chiharu, snatching her hands.

"Kagome-chan, my mate to be—" he started smiling toothily at Chiharu and she raised an eyebrow. It took another second before he realised who he was talking to and he dropped her hands as if burned, flushing scarlet. "Chiharu-chan— of course, you look wonderful too. Although your eyes are— I mean, very beautiful indeed and—"

"Kōga-kun, Kagome is over there," she interrupted his rant stiffly, pointing at an amused looking Kagome. She was wearing the ugliest yoga suit she owned and Chiharu considered it karmic justice when the wolf-prince gaped at her, starting to sputter that she too looked a-ma-zing in whatever it was she was wearing. What probably would have been a long tirade was cut short when suddenly Sesshōmaru appeared before him. His hand was already inching above Tokijin and a growl started from low in his throat.

"Wolf,"

"Oh fuck, you!" Kōga gasped, staggering away and Inuyasha smirked. As much as he might hate his older sibling, making Kōga uncomfortable was a sure way to get into Inuyasha's good books. Truly, male pride was a delicate thing, however, Chiharu decided it was time to intervene. Right now, Sesshōmaru was not in her good books.

"Cut it out you two." She stated irritably. "Kōga-kun, was there actually something important you wished to share, or is this another elaborate plot to gain my older sister's affection?"

"Oh," Kōga muttered, "Yes, about a moon circle ago Kagura's wind attacked us. She and some ugly-ass kid were after my shards," he explained, paddling over to Kagome and smiling wolfishly at her, "they killed many of my brothers and sisters."

"Oh," Kagome gasped, "I'm so sorry Kōga-kun!"

"That's terrible," Chiharu agreed. The wind was icy, and whipped her dark hair around her face and tore her clothes around her body. Orange, wet leaves swirled among them and she shivered. "Did many—"

"Yes." He admitted. "I found my cousin ripped apart so badly I could only recognise him by his eccentric sandals."

Chiharu didn't know what she could possibly say to that, however, the small, muffled sound of shock that left her throat seemed to appease him. Even Inuyasha, who made it quite obvious how he felt about the wolf yōkai averted his eyes, ears fluttering flat to his skull. Kagome was the one wrapped an arm around him. "I'm so sorry, Kōga-kun, that must have been horrible."

He nodded, even when his family had been slaughtered, he still smiled and preened under Chiharu's sister's attention. He'd always been an odd one and Chiharu felt her nostrils flare. There was a strong bloody scent clinging him.

"Kōga-kun, have you been hurt?"

He gave her a nothing-the-matter look and started to boast off to Kagome. Inuyasha gave the wolf prince a look as if he was dirt and he'd

"As touching," Sesshōmaru started, sounding as if he couldn't care a less, "We have Naraku to pursue."

"Why is he here?" Kōga snipped and stared at Chiharu. "I thought he didn't care all that much for humans?"

Chiharu shot him an irritated glare: "We have a common enemy."

It must have been something in the way she looked but Kōga nodded and shut up right then, stepping back to Kagome's side. They muttered and whispered softly to each other before Kōga's face turned as white as a sheet and he crumbled the next moment. Kagome squeaked, half catching him before falling with him. Inuyasha was next to her a moment later, grabbing his nemesis by his upper-arm and glared.

"The Fuck, Bastard?"

"He's hurt Inuyasha!" Kagome whispered and she dropped her heavy, yellow pack to the ground and yanked out a bottle of wiping alcohol. "Where does it hurt Koga-kun?"

"His leg," Chiharu suddenly stated. "His left leg. You lost a Shikon shard, didn't you Kōga-kun?"

"He was too fast for me," Kōga admitted and when Kagome managed to push his fluffy leg warmer down his ankle, she gasped. The skin was looking gruesome, welts had spread over his shin and running from the side to his ankle was a greenish cut, so obviously infected Chiharu winched.

"Shit!"

"Chiharu-chan," Kagome admonished but she had gone a bit green in the face too.

"Don't Chiharu-chan me, it's bad, Onee-chan!" She retorted and pinched the bridge of her nose.

"It's getting late too," Kagome softly suggested, she was shivering and her lips were tinting blue. "Perhaps we could make camp. Kōga-kun could use the rest too."

The last questions were not directed to me and as I helped to bandage Kōga's leg, I dared a glance at my sister. She was looking at Sesshōmaru.

"This Sesshōmaru doesn't care about the Wolf." Sesshōmaru gruffly responded and Chiharu pursed her lips when she noticed colour overtaking her older sister in what she recognised as anger and outrage.

"We can't just turn our back on him." She snapped. "He needs help!"

He flashed in front of her, eyes narrowed and Inuyasha's hand landed heavily on the sheath of his father's Fang. "Listen very carefully to me, girl, this Sesshōmaru doesn't care for your whining, our your sentiment. We will only stop when I allow us to!"

Chiharu doubted that was the only reason. They were at the top of a ravine, in the open with a lone tree here and there and Chiharu understood why Sesshōmaru didn't want to stop here (besides not having found Naraku yet). It wasn't safe. Vegetation was sparse and the sides were steep, dipping down in a fall that would be deathly. The forest was almost a kilometre behind them and angrily Kagome helped Sangō pulling the Wolfprince up on Kirara's transformed back.

"Sesshōmaru," Chiharu tried, taking a protective stance between her sister and the Daiyōkai, "Perhaps we should find a spot to make camp tonight."

"Miko—" he started, his eyes flashing red but then his nostrils flared. A thrill went through the air and although Kagome was still glaring at the Daiyōkai's face, Chiharu noticed the way his pointed ears twitched. She recognised the scent of blood and death and even Inuyasha, who could be dense and sometimes a bit late on the uptake stiffened.

"Naraku!"

A sudden, strong gust of cold wind swirled down from the mountain tops and buffeted around the small group of shard hunters wildly. She smelled it then, the harsh and horrible fragrance that was Naraku and she only just dodged a large tentacle smashing through the ground. It vented off, going for her again and with a grimace, she forced it back with a surge of Reiki. Riotously-dancing tendrils of yōkai flesh wrenched from the soul and made the ground trembled. Several screams reverberated harshly through the mountainy landscape, and Inuyasha howled in fury.

He unsheathed his father's fang and with a powerful swipe, demonic energy ripped forward. The destruction was incredible, sending large plumes of dust skywards. When it settled, Hakudoshi emerged from the rubble. He was sitting atop of a white horse and grinned manically.

"Ah Inuyasha," Hakudoshi grinned, "we were already waiting for you.

Inuyasha snarled: "You! Where is Naraku!?"

The white-child's grin was feral, swinging his legs in a mockery of childish glee: "Why don't you come and find out?"

Inuyasha had never been very good at ignoring someone's needling and charged forward with a roar.

 _To be continued…_

* * *

 **A/N: Young love… Right now we see the similarities between the Higurashi siblings (^^), although, I'm somewhat on Chiharu's side in this (sorry Sesshōmaru). To be honest, I sometimes forget that Chiharu is still only a teenager and I guess feudal Japan made her grow up quite a bit, she is entitled to feel more like her age once in a while right?**

 **As for the chapter, initially, I planned to put the entire fight with Naraku's puppets in here, but the chapter became a bit too long that way. However, this means I'll be able to update sooner as the next chapters are all but done. On another note, I started a side story to ' _A tale of Two Sisters_ ' hoping to shed another light on the different characters. If you have any requests or if you are curious about someone at some point in this story let me know. Also, after the many reviews mentioning they thought there was and still is, I guess, some real chemistry between Chiharu and Inuyasha, I am thinking of writing an alternative ending for them. Let me know what everyone thinks about that. I'm quite curious about how that would be received!**

 **Or perhaps I'll try an OC/Inuyasha story (alternative story with Inuyasha and Chiharu ending up together). Again, let me know what you'll think!**

 **So… Leave a review and let me know what you think^^.**

 ** **Inuyasha doesn't belong to me, but to Rumiko Takahashi****


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